Minnehaha County, South Dakota

Minnehaha County is a county on the eastern border of the state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 197,214,[1] making it the state's most populous county. It contains over 20% of the state's population. Its county seat is Sioux Falls,[2] South Dakota's most populous city. The county was created in 1862 and organized in 1868.[3] Its name was derived from the Sioux word Mnihaha, meaning "rapid water," or "waterfall" (often incorrectly translated as "laughing water").[4]

Minnehaha County
County
Minnehaha County Courthouse in Sioux Falls
Minnehaha County Courthouse in Sioux Falls
Map of South Dakota highlighting Minnehaha 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: 43°41′N 96°47′W
Country United States
State South Dakota
Founded1862 (created)
1868 (organized)
Named for"rapid water"
SeatSioux Falls
Largest citySioux Falls
Area
 • Total814 sq mi (2,110 km2)
 • Land807 sq mi (2,090 km2)
 • Water6.7 sq mi (17 km2)  0.8%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total197,214
 • Estimate 
(2022)
203,971 Increase
 • Density239/sq mi (92/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districtAt-large
Websitewww.minnehahacounty.org

Minnehaha County is part of the Sioux Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, the state's largest.

Geography
The falls of the Big Sioux River at Falls Park
County Administration Building

Minnehaha County lies on the east side of South Dakota. Its eastern boundary abuts Minnesota as well as the northern and western boundaries of Iowa. The Big Sioux River flows south-southeast through the east central part of the county. Its terrain consists of rolling hills, devoted to agriculture except around built-up areas, and dotted with lakes and ponds in its western portion.[5] Its terrain generally slopes southward, and the east and west edges slope to the river valley through the center of the county. Its highest point is in the northwest corner, at 1,752 ft (534 m) ASL.[6]

Minnehaha County has an area of 814 square miles (2,110 km2), of which 807 square miles (2,090 km2) is land and 6.7 square miles (17 km2) (0.8%) is water.[7]

Major highways

Transit

Airports

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

Lakes, rivers and streams[5]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1870355—
18808,2512,224.2%
189021,879165.2%
190023,9269.4%
191029,63123.8%
192042,49043.4%
193050,87219.7%
194057,69713.4%
195070,91022.9%
196086,57522.1%
197095,20910.0%
1980109,43514.9%
1990123,80913.1%
2000148,28119.8%
2010169,46814.3%
2020197,21416.4%
2022 (est.)203,971[8]3.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11]
1990-2000[12] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 197,214 people.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 169,468 people, 67,028 households, and 42,052 families in the county. The population density was 210.0 inhabitants per square mile (81.1/km2). There were 71,557 housing units at an average density of 88.7 per square mile (34.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 88.1% white, 3.8% Black or African American, 2.5% American Indian, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 1.8% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 43.8% were German, 17.7% were Norwegian, 11.6% were Irish, 6.8% were Dutch, 6.3% were English, and 3.2% were American.

Of the 67,028 households, 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.3% were non-families, and 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.03. The median age was 34.5 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $51,799 and the median income for a family was $64,645. Males had a median income of $40,187 versus $31,517 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,392. About 6.9% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Minnehaha is somewhat conservative for an urban county. Only four Democratic presidential candidates in five different elections have carried the county since 1940.

United States presidential election results for Minnehaha County, South Dakota[13]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 49,249 53.34% 40,482 43.85% 2,595 2.81%
2016 42,043 53.72% 30,610 39.11% 5,610 7.17%
2012 40,342 52.68% 34,674 45.28% 1,567 2.05%
2008 39,251 48.73% 39,838 49.46% 1,463 1.82%
2004 44,189 56.92% 32,314 41.62% 1,129 1.45%
2000 33,428 54.47% 27,042 44.06% 899 1.46%
1996 27,432 44.24% 29,790 48.05% 4,782 7.71%
1992 25,081 39.32% 27,016 42.35% 11,689 18.33%
1988 26,765 47.71% 29,135 51.94% 195 0.35%
1984 29,908 56.25% 23,042 43.34% 221 0.42%
1980 26,256 51.00% 20,008 38.87% 5,214 10.13%
1976 23,286 51.12% 22,068 48.44% 202 0.44%
1972 22,447 49.90% 22,386 49.76% 155 0.34%
1968 20,141 53.31% 16,462 43.57% 1,177 3.12%
1964 16,766 44.48% 20,929 55.52% 0 0.00%
1960 23,238 60.53% 15,152 39.47% 0 0.00%
1956 22,285 62.99% 13,093 37.01% 0 0.00%
1952 23,559 71.50% 9,390 28.50% 0 0.00%
1948 14,047 53.77% 11,770 45.05% 308 1.18%
1944 13,920 57.67% 10,216 42.33% 0 0.00%
1940 16,664 57.62% 12,259 42.38% 0 0.00%
1936 12,418 46.85% 13,174 49.70% 916 3.46%
1932 10,288 44.21% 12,646 54.34% 339 1.46%
1928 13,741 66.68% 6,805 33.02% 62 0.30%
1924 8,822 55.93% 1,524 9.66% 5,427 34.41%
1920 8,290 63.15% 2,534 19.30% 2,303 17.54%
1916 4,318 52.64% 3,494 42.59% 391 4.77%
1912 0 0.00% 2,576 42.38% 3,502 57.62%
1908 4,125 64.07% 1,948 30.26% 365 5.67%
1904 4,455 74.04% 1,046 17.38% 516 8.58%
1900 3,410 57.04% 2,440 40.82% 128 2.14%
1896 2,429 47.20% 2,667 51.83% 50 0.97%
1892 2,208 52.31% 484 11.47% 1,529 36.22%

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities[5]

Townships
  • Benton
  • Brandon
  • Buffalo
  • Burk
  • Clear Lake
  • Dell Rapids
  • Edison
  • Grand Meadow
  • Hartford
  • Highland
  • Humboldt
  • Logan
  • Lyons
  • Mapleton
  • Palisade
  • Red Rock
  • Sioux Falls
  • Split Rock
  • Sverdrup
  • Taopi
  • Valley Springs
  • Wall Lake
  • Wayne
  • Wellington

Historical townsites
Sign marking the site of the former town of East Sioux Falls

Education

School districts in the county include:[14]

  • Baltic School District 49-1
  • Brandon Valley School District 49-2
  • Canton School District 41-1
  • Chester School District 39-1
  • Dell Rapids School District 49-3
  • Garretson School District 49-4
  • Harrisburg School District 41-2
  • Lennox School District 41-4
  • Montrose School District 43-2
  • Parker School District 60-4
  • Sioux Falls School District 49-5
  • Tea Area School District 41-5
  • Tri-Valley School District 49-6
  • West Central School District 49-7

Various rural schools operated in the county's history.[15]

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. 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. Stewart, George R. (1945). Names on the Land. Random House. p. 291. In the language of the Sioux, a waterfall was haha; water itself was minne. White men by a misunderstanding had coupled the two words, and produced Minnehaha Falls, a name thus meaning "water-waterfalls-falls". By a complete though natural misunderstanding of haha, the name had been romantically translated as Laughing Water
  5. "Minnehaha County · South Dakota".
  6. ""Find an Alittude" Google Maps (accessed February 7, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  7. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  8. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  9. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  11. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  12. "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 28, 2015.
  13. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  14. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Minnehaha County, SD" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2023. - Text list
  15. "Minnehaha County Country Rural Schools" (PDF). State of South Dakota. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
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