Wikipedia

List of counties in South Dakota

There are 66 counties in the U.S. state of South Dakota with FIPS codes.

Counties of South Dakota
LocationState of South Dakota
Number66
Populations855 (Jones) – 206,930 (Minnehaha)
Areas412 square miles (1,070 km2) (Clay) – 3,471 square miles (8,990 km2) (Meade)
Government
Subdivisions

Todd County and Oglala Lakota County are the only counties in South Dakota which do not have their own county seats. Hot Springs in Fall River County serves as the administrative center for Oglala Lakota County. Winner in Tripp County serves as the administrative center for Todd County.[1] These are two of six counties in South Dakota which are entirely within an Indian reservation. (The other four counties are Bennett, Corson, Dewey, and Ziebach.)

South Dakota's postal abbreviation is SD and its FIPS state code is 46.

Table of counties

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County
 FIPS code[2] County seat[3] Est.[3] Formed from Etymology Population[4] Area[3] Map
Aurora County 003 Plankinton 1881 Cragin and Wetmore Counties Aurora, Roman goddess of dawn 2,782 708 sq mi
(1,834 km2)		  
Beadle County 005 Huron 1879 Buchard, Clark, Kingsbury, and Spink Counties William Henry Harrison Beadle, chief surveyor of Dakota Territory 19,591 1,259 sq mi
(3,261 km2)		  
Bennett County 007 Martin 1909 Lugenbeel, Oglala Lakota, Washabaugh, and Washington Counties Granville G. Bennett, justice of the Supreme Court for the Dakota Territory 3,305 1,185 sq mi
(3,069 km2)		  
Bon Homme County 009 Tyndall 1862 Unorganized territory French phrase meaning "good man" 7,065 563 sq mi
(1,458 km2)		  
Brookings County 011 Brookings 1862 Unorganized territory Wilmot Brookings (1830 - 1905), Dakota Territory Supreme Court justice 35,980 794 sq mi
(2,056 km2)		  
Brown County 013 Aberdeen 1879 Beadle County Alfred Brown, territorial legislator 37,733 1,713 sq mi
(4,437 km2)		  
Brule County 015 Chamberlain 1875 Charles Mix County Brulé Sioux Native Americans 5,311 819 sq mi
(2,121 km2)		  
Buffalo County 017 Gann Valley 1873 Unorganized territory American Bison 1,884 471 sq mi
(1,220 km2)		  
Butte County 019 Belle Fourche 1883 Harding County Buttes in the region 10,863 2,249 sq mi
(5,825 km2)		  
Campbell County 021 Mound City 1873 Buffalo County Norman B. Campbell, territorial legislator 1,340 736 sq mi
(1,906 km2)		  
Charles Mix County 023 Lake Andes 1862 Unorganized territory Charles Eli Mix, commissioner of Indian Affairs 9,240 1,098 sq mi
(2,844 km2)		  
Clark County 025 Clark 1873 Hanson County Newton Clark (1838-1918), territorial legislator 3,948 958 sq mi
(2,481 km2)		  
Clay County 027 Vermillion 1862 Unorganized territory Henry Clay (1777 - 1852), U.S. Senator from Kentucky and prominent 19th Century political figure 15,431 412 sq mi
(1,067 km2)		  
Codington County 029 Watertown 1877 Indian lands George S. S. Codington, territorial legislator 28,971 688 sq mi
(1,782 km2)		  
Corson County 031 McIntosh 1909 Indian lands Dighton Corson, a Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court 3,782 2,473 sq mi
(6,405 km2)		  
Custer County 033 Custer 1875 Indian lands General George Armstrong Custer (1839 - 1876), key figure in the Indian Wars 9,117 1,558 sq mi
(4,035 km2)		  
Davison County 035 Mitchell 1873 Hanson County Henry C. Davison (1840-1880), prominent merchant and early settler 19,922 436 sq mi
(1,129 km2)		  
Day County 037 Webster 1879 Clark County Merritt H. Day, territorial legislator 5,451 1,029 sq mi
(2,665 km2)		  
Deuel County 039 Clear Lake 1862 Brookings County Jacob S. Deuel, territorial legislator 4,354 624 sq mi
(1,616 km2)		  
Dewey County 041 Timber Lake 1873 Armstrong County and Indian lands William P. Dewey (1833-1905), territorial surveyor-general 5,208 2,303 sq mi
(5,965 km2)		  
Douglas County 043 Armour 1873 Charles Mix County Stephen A. Douglas (1813 - 1861), U.S. Senator from Illinois and advocate of popular sovereignty as a middle ground in the slavery debate 2,838 434 sq mi
(1,124 km2)		  
Edmunds County 045 Ipswich 1873 Buffalo County Newton Edmunds, Governor of Dakota Territory 4,057 1,146 sq mi
(2,968 km2)		  
Fall River County 047 Hot Springs 1883 Custer County Fall River 7,393 1,740 sq mi
(4,507 km2)		  
Faulk County 049 Faulkton 1873 Unorganized territory Andrew Jackson Faulk, Governor of Dakota Territory 2,151 1,000 sq mi
(2,590 km2)		  
Grant County 051 Milbank 1873 Codington and Deuel Counties Ulysses S. Grant (1822 - 1885), U.S. President and American Civil War general 7,553 682 sq mi
(1,766 km2)		  
Gregory County 053 Burke 1862 Unorganized territory John Shaw Gregory (1829-1881), territorial legislator 4,018 1,016 sq mi
(2,631 km2)		  
Haakon County 055 Philip 1914 Stanley County King Haakon VII of Norway 1,851 1,813 sq mi
(4,696 km2)		  
Hamlin County 057 Hayti 1873 Deuel County Hannibal Hamlin, Vice-President and United States Senator from Maine 6,451 511 sq mi
(1,323 km2)		  
Hand County 059 Miller 1873 Buffalo County George H. Hand (1837-1891), territorial legislator 3,107 1,437 sq mi
(3,722 km2)		  
Hanson County 061 Alexandria 1873 Buffalo and Deuel Counties Joseph R. Hanson (1836-1917), army major in the Indian Wars and early settler 3,471 435 sq mi
(1,127 km2)		  
Harding County 063 Buffalo 1909 Unorganized territory John A. Harding (1832-1902), Speaker of the House for Dakota Territory 1,324 2,671 sq mi
(6,918 km2)		  
Hughes County 065 Pierre 1880 Buffalo County Alexander Hughes (1846-1907), territorial legislator 17,624 741 sq mi
(1,919 km2)		  
Hutchinson County 067 Olivet 1862 Unorganized territory John Hutchinson (1830-1887) territorial legislator 7,394 813 sq mi
(2,106 km2)		  
Hyde County 069 Highmore 1873 Buffalo County James Hyde (1842–1902), territorial legislator 1,186 861 sq mi
(2,230 km2)		  
Jackson County 071 Kadoka 1914 Stanley County J.R. Jackson, territorial legislator 2,776 1,869 sq mi
(4,841 km2)		  
Jerauld County 073 Wessington Springs 1883 Aurora County H.J. Jerauld, territorial legislator 1,660 530 sq mi
(1,373 km2)		  
Jones County 075 Murdo 1916 Lyman County George Wallace Jones, territorial legislator 855 971 sq mi
(2,515 km2)		  
Kingsbury County 077 De Smet 1873 Hanson County George W. Kingsbury (1837-1925) and Theodore A. Kingsbury (1844-1889), brothers and territorial legislators 5,276 838 sq mi
(2,170 km2)		  
Lake County 079 Madison 1873 Brookings and Hanson counties Lakes within the county 11,031 563 sq mi
(1,458 km2)		  
Lawrence County 081 Deadwood 1875 Unorganized territory John Lawrence (1839 -1889), territorial legislator 28,053 800 sq mi
(2,072 km2)		  
Lincoln County 083 Canton 1867 Unorganized territory Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States,[5] or, possibly, Lincoln County, Maine. 73,238 578 sq mi
(1,497 km2)		  
Lyman County 085 Kennebec 1873 Unorganized territory W.P. Lyman, territorial legislator 3,705 1,640 sq mi
(4,248 km2)		  
Marshall County 091 Britton 1885 Day County Marshall Vincent, Day County Commissioner 4,390 839 sq mi
(2,173 km2)		  
McCook County 087 Salem 1873 Hanson County Edwin McCook, Secretary of Dakota Territory 5,809 575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)		  
McPherson County 089 Leola 1873 Buffalo County James B. McPherson (1828 - 1864), Civil War general 2,334 1,137 sq mi
(2,945 km2)		  
Meade County 093 Sturgis 1889 Lawrence County George Meade (1815 - 1872), Civil War general 30,954 3,471 sq mi
(8,990 km2)		  
Mellette County 095 White River 1909 Lyman County Arthur C. Mellette, first Governor of South Dakota 1,851 1,307 sq mi
(3,385 km2)		  
Miner County 097 Howard 1873 Hanson County Nelson Miner (1827-1879) and Ephriam Miner (1833-1912), brothers and territorial legislators 2,280 570 sq mi
(1,476 km2)		  
Minnehaha County 099 Sioux Falls 1862 Unorganized territory Sioux term for waterfall 206,930 809 sq mi
(2,095 km2)		  
Moody County 101 Flandreau 1873 Brookings and Minnehaha Counties Gideon C. Moody, Speaker of the House for Dakota Territory 6,450 520 sq mi
(1,347 km2)		  
Oglala Lakota County 102 1875 Fall River County Oglala Lakota tribe 13,434 2,094 sq mi
(5,423 km2)		  
Pennington County 103 Rapid City 1875 Unorganized territory John L. Pennington (1829 - 1900), Governor of Dakota Territory 115,903 2,776 sq mi
(7,190 km2)		  
Perkins County 105 Bison 1909 Butte and Harding Counties Henry E. Perkins (1864-1937), state senator 2,834 2,872 sq mi
(7,438 km2)		  
Potter County 107 Gettysburg 1875 Buffalo County Joel A. Potter (1830-1895), territorial legislator 2,413 866 sq mi
(2,243 km2)		  
Roberts County 109 Sisseton 1883 Grant County Samuel G. Roberts (b.1843), territorial legislator 10,206 1,101 sq mi
(2,852 km2)		  
Sanborn County 111 Woonsocket 1883 Miner County George W. Sanborn (1832-1905), president of the Milwaukee Railroad 2,399 569 sq mi
(1,474 km2)		  
Spink County 115 Redfield 1873 Hanson County Solomon Spink, Secretary of Dakota Territory 6,166 1,504 sq mi
(3,895 km2)		  
Stanley County 117 Fort Pierre 1873 Unorganized territory David S. Stanley, commander of Fort Sully 3,043 1,443 sq mi
(3,737 km2)		  
Sully County 119 Onida 1873 Potter County Fort Sully, itself named after General Alfred Sully 1,494 1,007 sq mi
(2,608 km2)		  
Todd County 121 1909 Meyer and Tripp Counties John Blair Smith Todd, territorial delegate to Congress 9,199 1,388 sq mi
(3,595 km2)		  
Tripp County 123 Winner 1873 Unorganized territory Bartlett Tripp, Chief Justice of the Dakota Territorial Supreme Court 5,621 1,614 sq mi
(4,180 km2)		  
Turner County 125 Parker 1871 Lincoln County John W. Turner, territorial legislator 9,027 617 sq mi
(1,598 km2)		  
Union County 127 Elk Point 1862 Unorganized territory The union of the American states 17,183 460 sq mi
(1,191 km2)		  
Walworth County 129 Selby 1873 Buffalo County Walworth County, Wisconsin, itself named for Reuben Walworth 5,269 708 sq mi
(1,834 km2)		  
Yankton County 135 Yankton 1862 Unorganized territory Yankton Sioux Native Americans 23,517 522 sq mi
(1,352 km2)		  
Ziebach County 137 Dupree 1911 Armstrong, Schnasse, and Sterling Counties Frank M. Ziebach, publisher and army major during the Indian Wars 2,322 1,962 sq mi
(5,082 km2)		  

Former names

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  • Shannon County: renamed Oglala Lakota County in 2015
  • Boreman County: Renamed Corson County in 1909
  • Mandan County: Renamed Lawrence County

Former counties

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  • Armstrong County (1883–1952): Created by Dakota Territory as Pyatt County in 1883 from Cheyenne, Rusk (Dewey), and Stanley Counties. Renamed Armstrong in 1895. The western half was annexed to form part of the second Ziebach County, in 1911. The remainder was annexed into Dewey in 1952.
  • Ashmore County
  • Big Sioux County
  • Bramble County
  • Bruguier County
  • Burchard County
  • Burdick County
  • Cheyenne County
  • Choteau County: Abolished when it merged into Perkins County along with Martin, Rinehart and Wagner Counties.
  • Cole County: organized in 1862, was named for Austin Cole, who was a member of the first Territorial Legislature. Two years later, the boundaries were rearranged and the name changed to Union because of sentiment for the Union side of the civil war.
  • Cragin County
  • Delano County: Absorbed by Meade County
  • Ewing County (1889–1890): Created upon statehood. Abolished one year later, when it became the northern half of Harding County.
  • Forsythe County
  • Greely County, South Dakota
  • Jayne County
  • Lugenbeel County (1875–1909): Created by Dakota Territory from unorganized lands and Meyer and Pratt Counties in 1875. Abolished in 1909 when it became part of Bennett and Todd Counties.
  • Martin County: Abolished when it merged into Perkins County along with Choteau, Rinehart and Wagner Counties.
  • Meyer County
  • Midway County
  • Mills County
  • Nowlin County (1883–1898): Created by Dakota Territory in 1883 from Cheyenne and White River Counties. Abolished in 1898 when it became part of Haakon County.
  • Presho County: Absorbed by Lyman County
  • Pyatt County (1883–1895): Created by Dakota Territory from unorganized lands in 1883. Renamed Armstrong in 1895. Later divided between the revived Ziebach County and Dewey County.
  • Rinehart County: Abolished when it merged into Perkins County along with Choteau, Martin, and Wagner Counties.
  • Rusk County
  • Schnasse County (1883–1911): Created by Dakota Territory from unorganized lands and part of Boreman County in 1883. Later absorbed into Boreman and the revived Ziebach Counties
  • Scobey County: Absorbed by Meade County
  • Sterling County (1883–1911): Created by Dakota Territory from Cheyenne County. Abolished in 1911 when it became part of Haakon and Ziebach Counties
  • Stone County
  • Thompson County
  • Wagner County: Abolished when it merged into Perkins County along with Choteau, Martin, and Rinehart Counties.
  • Washabaugh County (1883–1983): South Dakota's most recent county to be eliminated. Created by Dakota Territory in 1883. Abolished in 1983 when it was merged with Jackson County.
  • Washington County (1888–1943): Abolished in 1943 when it was divided between Pennington and Shannon Counties.
  • Wetmore County
  • White River County
  • Wood County
  • Ziebach County (1889–1890): Created in 1889, upon statehood. Abolished in 1890, becoming the eastern portion of Pennington County. The name was revived in 1911, when a second Ziebach County was created from parts of Sterling, Schnasse and Pyatt Counties.

Population density map

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Map showing the density of South Dakota's counties

Darker colors indicate heavier density.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "South Dakota Counties, Regions, Tourism and State Index". Global Index. Archived from the original on January 2, 2006. Retrieved February 5, 2006.
  2. ^ "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved May 1, 2008.
  3. ^ a b c "NACo - Find a county". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on April 10, 2005. Retrieved May 1, 2008.
  4. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: South Dakota". Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  5. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. US Government Printing Office. p. 187.
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