A change in banking law in the 1980s turned South Dakota's largest city into a credit-card capital. Beyond the granite and grassland, a quieter story is reshaping how South Dakota earns its living.

A 1981 law removing interest-rate caps drew major card issuers to the state.

What sets it apart

Financial services now anchor much of the Sioux Falls economy. It is the kind of specific that turns a passing curiosity into a lasting fascination.

The city has grown into a regional center for health care and retail as well.

Why it matters

What ties it all together is a distinctly South Dakota balance between the wild and the worked-over. Whether the bet pays off or not, it is helping write South Dakota's next chapter.