Kingsbury County, South Dakota

Kingsbury County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,187.[1] Its county seat is De Smet.[2] The county was created in 1873, and was organized in 1880.[3] It was named for brothers George W. and T. A. Kingsbury, descendants of the colonial English Kingsbury family in Boston, Massachusetts. They were prominently involved in the affairs of Dakota Territory and served as elected members of several Territorial Legislatures.

Kingsbury County
County
Kingsbury County Courthouse in De Smet
Kingsbury County Courthouse in De Smet
Map of South Dakota highlighting Kingsbury County
Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota
Map of the United States highlighting South Dakota
South Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°22′N 97°29′W
Country United States
State South Dakota
Founded1873 (created)
1880 (organized)
Named forGeorge W. Kingsbury
& T.A. Kingsbury
SeatDe Smet
Largest cityDe Smet
Area
 • Total864 sq mi (2,240 km2)
 • Land832 sq mi (2,150 km2)
 • Water32 sq mi (80 km2)  3.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total5,187
 • Estimate 
(2022)
5,294 Increase
 • Density6.0/sq mi (2.3/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districtAt-large
Websitekingsbury.sdcounties.org

Geography

The terrain of Kingsbury County consists of low rolling hills. The central and east portions of the county hold numerous lakes and ponds. The land is largely devoted to agriculture.[4] The terrain generally slopes to the southwest, and the highest point is near the midpoint of the east boundary line, at 1,857 ft (566 m) ASL.[5] The county has a total area of 864 square miles (2,240 km2), of which 832 square miles (2,150 km2) is land and 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2) (6.2%) is water.[6]

Lakes[4]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Protected areas[4]
  • Arnold State Public Shooting Area

Demographics

Industrialization of agriculture and the attraction of urban areas have contributed to the decline in population of Kingsbury County, similar to what has occurred in other Plains rural areas. In 2010 it had less than half the population of its peak in 1930, before the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression.

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18801,102—
18908,562677.0%
19009,86615.2%
191012,56027.3%
192012,8021.9%
193012,8050.0%
194010,831−15.4%
19509,962−8.0%
19609,227−7.4%
19707,657−17.0%
19806,679−12.8%
19905,925−11.3%
20005,815−1.9%
20105,148−11.5%
20205,1870.8%
2022 (est.)5,294[7]2.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 5,187 people.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 5,148 people, 2,222 households, and 1,418 families in the county. The population density was 6.2 inhabitants per square mile (2.4/km2). There were 2,720 housing units at an average density of 3.3 units per square mile (1.3 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.1% white, 0.5% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.3% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of European ancestry, 42.8% were German, 25.5% were Norwegian, 10.9% were Danish, 9.6% were Irish, 7.2% were English, and 3.5% were American.

Of the 2,222 households, 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.2% were non-families, and 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age was 47.1 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,948 and the median income for a family was $56,925. Males had a median income of $35,585 versus $28,141 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,660. About 7.0% of families and 9.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Ghost town

Townships
  • Badger
  • Baker
  • De Smet
  • Denver
  • Esmond
  • Hartland
  • Iroquois
  • Le Sueur
  • Manchester
  • Mathews
  • Spirit Lake
  • Spring Lake
  • Whitewood

Notable people

Politics

Kingsbury County voters have been reliably Republican for decades. In only two national elections since 1932 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2020).

United States presidential election results for Kingsbury County, South Dakota[12]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 1,904 68.51% 819 29.47% 56 2.02%
2016 1,680 65.86% 703 27.56% 168 6.59%
2012 1,451 55.64% 1,092 41.87% 65 2.49%
2008 1,435 51.54% 1,277 45.87% 72 2.59%
2004 1,804 59.85% 1,163 38.59% 47 1.56%
2000 1,612 59.11% 1,049 38.47% 66 2.42%
1996 1,297 43.22% 1,357 45.22% 347 11.56%
1992 1,113 35.41% 1,267 40.31% 763 24.28%
1988 1,592 51.57% 1,472 47.68% 23 0.75%
1984 2,121 62.70% 1,249 36.92% 13 0.38%
1980 2,376 62.41% 1,132 29.73% 299 7.85%
1976 1,844 50.98% 1,762 48.71% 11 0.30%
1972 2,320 58.62% 1,632 41.23% 6 0.15%
1968 2,300 58.42% 1,491 37.87% 146 3.71%
1964 2,126 51.46% 2,005 48.54% 0 0.00%
1960 2,887 63.26% 1,677 36.74% 0 0.00%
1956 2,933 64.92% 1,585 35.08% 0 0.00%
1952 3,703 78.25% 1,029 21.75% 0 0.00%
1948 2,332 62.55% 1,338 35.89% 58 1.56%
1944 2,541 68.73% 1,156 31.27% 0 0.00%
1940 3,551 70.26% 1,503 29.74% 0 0.00%
1936 2,813 55.42% 2,037 40.13% 226 4.45%
1932 2,135 42.42% 2,808 55.79% 90 1.79%
1928 3,499 71.88% 1,352 27.77% 17 0.35%
1924 2,242 65.65% 333 9.75% 840 24.60%
1920 2,344 71.66% 481 14.70% 446 13.63%
1916 1,339 51.80% 1,096 42.40% 150 5.80%
1912 0 0.00% 747 34.52% 1,417 65.48%
1908 1,537 60.70% 799 31.56% 196 7.74%
1904 1,896 77.67% 344 14.09% 201 8.23%
1900 1,330 58.10% 868 37.92% 91 3.98%
1896 950 46.82% 1,051 51.80% 28 1.38%
1892 951 46.28% 175 8.52% 929 45.21%

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". Dakota Territory Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2006. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  4. Kingsbury County SD Google Maps (accessed February 5, 2019)
  5. ""Find an Altitude" Google Maps (accessed February 5, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  6. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  7. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  10. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  11. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  12. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 15, 2018.

Further reading
  • Johnson, Lyle R. "Decades of Drought: A Year by Year-by-Year Account of Weather-Related Changes in 1930s Kingsbury County," South Dakota History 43 (Fall 2013), 218–44.

44.37°N 97.49°W / 44.37; -97.49

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.