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Perkins County, South Dakota

Coordinates: 45°30′N 102°29′W / 45.50°N 102.48°W / 45.50; -102.48
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Perkins County
County
Petrified Wood Park in Lemmon, South Dakota
Petrified Wood Park in Lemmon, South Dakota
Map of South Dakota highlighting Perkins 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: 45°30′N 102°29′W / 45.5°N 102.48°W / 45.5; -102.48
Country United States
State South Dakota
FoundedNovember 3, 1908 (established)
1909 (organized)
Named forHenry E. Perkins
SeatBison
Largest cityLemmon
Area
 • Total
2,891 sq mi (7,490 km2)
 • Land2,870 sq mi (7,400 km2)
 • Water20 sq mi (50 km2)  0.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
2,835
 • Estimate 
(2023)
2,834 Decrease
 • Density0.98/sq mi (0.38/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional districtAt-large
Websitewww.perkinscounty.org

Perkins County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,835.[1] Its county seat is Bison.[2] The county was established in 1908 and organized in 1909.[3] It was named for Sturgis, South Dakota, official Henry E. Perkins.[4]

Geography

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Perkins County lies on the north edge of South Dakota. Its north boundary line abuts the south boundary line of the state of North Dakota. The Grand River flows eastward through the upper part of the county, and the Moreau River flows eastward through the lower part of the county. Shadehill Reservoir is a large impoundment on the Grand River in the county.

Perkins County terrain consists of semi-arid rolling hills, carved by drainage creeks, sparsely dedicated to agriculture.[5] The terrain slopes to the east; its highest point is on its lower west boundary line, at 3,097 ft (944 m) ASL.[6] The county has a total area of 2,890 square miles (7,500 km2), of which 2,870 square miles (7,400 km2) is land and 20 square miles (52 km2) (0.7%) is water.[7] It is the second-largest county by area in South Dakota. Meade County is the state's largest county by area.

Perkins County came to media attention in 2009 when Stephen Von Worley calculated that it was the site of the "McFarthest Spot" — the point in the continental United States that is most distant from a McDonald's restaurant: 107 miles (172 km) as the crow flies and 145 miles (233 km) by car. However, it was updated in 2010 and the spot was updated to the middle of the Nevada Desert.[8][9][10]

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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Protected areas[5]

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Lakes[5]

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
191011,348—
19207,993−29.6%
19308,7179.1%
19406,585−24.5%
19506,7762.9%
19605,977−11.8%
19704,769−20.2%
19804,700−1.4%
19903,932−16.3%
20003,363−14.5%
20102,982−11.3%
20202,835−4.9%
2023 (est.)2,834[12]0.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
1790-1960[14] 1900-1990[15]
1990-2000[16] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, there were 2,835 people, 1,257 households, and 784 families residing in the county.[17] The population density was 1.0 inhabitant per square mile (0.39/km2). There were 1,710 housing units.

2010 census

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As of the 2010 census, there were 2,982 people, 1,291 households, and 838 families in the county. The population density was 1.0 inhabitant per square mile (0.39/km2). There were 1,739 housing units at an average density of 0.6 units per square mile (0.23 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.9% white, 1.3% American Indian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 47.4% were German, 26.2% were Norwegian, 10.8% were English, 8.7% were Irish, 8.4% were Swedish, and 5.8% were American.

Of the 1,291 households, 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples living together, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.1% were non-families, and 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.85. The median age was 48.5 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,361 and the median income for a family was $55,313. Males had a median income of $30,255 versus $27,361 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,780. About 11.2% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.6% of those under age 18 and 21.2% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

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Cities

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Town

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Census-designated place

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Unincorporated Communities

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Ghost Towns

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Townships

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Unorganized territories

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  • Duck Creek
  • East Perkins
  • Independence
  • Pleasant Valley
  • South Perkins
  • Southwest Perkins
  • West Central Perkins
  • West Perkins

Politics

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Like most of South Dakota, Perkins County is overwhelmingly Republican. No Democratic presidential candidate has won Perkins County since Franklin D. Roosevelt did so during his 46-state landslide in 1936. Jimmy Carter in 1976 came within 36 votes of carrying the county, but since then the only Democrat to gain even 30 percent of the county's vote has been Michael Dukakis during the drought-affected 1988 election.

United States presidential election results for Perkins County, South Dakota[18]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 1,342 84.35% 228 14.33% 21 1.32%
2020 1,401 83.94% 239 14.32% 29 1.74%
2016 1,333 83.00% 188 11.71% 85 5.29%
2012 1,205 75.79% 319 20.06% 66 4.15%
2008 1,102 65.36% 499 29.60% 85 5.04%
2004 1,329 73.30% 418 23.06% 66 3.64%
2000 1,237 76.64% 297 18.40% 80 4.96%
1996 983 58.10% 460 27.19% 249 14.72%
1992 872 43.80% 566 28.43% 553 27.77%
1988 1,326 60.36% 851 38.73% 20 0.91%
1984 1,686 69.93% 714 29.61% 11 0.46%
1980 1,931 72.73% 595 22.41% 129 4.86%
1976 1,298 50.08% 1,262 48.69% 32 1.23%
1972 1,691 65.09% 900 34.64% 7 0.27%
1968 1,498 60.38% 869 35.03% 114 4.59%
1964 1,409 52.89% 1,255 47.11% 0 0.00%
1960 1,767 60.29% 1,164 39.71% 0 0.00%
1956 1,743 59.41% 1,191 40.59% 0 0.00%
1952 2,160 71.78% 849 28.22% 0 0.00%
1948 1,424 55.04% 1,096 42.37% 67 2.59%
1944 1,325 57.11% 995 42.89% 0 0.00%
1940 1,777 57.36% 1,321 42.64% 0 0.00%
1936 1,408 41.11% 1,940 56.64% 77 2.25%
1932 1,406 40.90% 1,852 53.87% 180 5.24%
1928 2,262 68.57% 1,010 30.62% 27 0.82%
1924 1,421 59.21% 277 11.54% 702 29.25%
1920 1,326 60.41% 417 19.00% 452 20.59%
1916 890 45.41% 939 47.91% 131 6.68%
1912 0 0.00% 832 39.60% 1,269 60.40%

Education

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School districts in the county include:[19]

See also

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References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Perkins County, South Dakota.
  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  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 31, 2015.
  4. ^ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 983. ISBN 978-1135948597. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  5. ^ a b c Perkins County SD Google Maps (accessed February 8, 2019)
  6. ^ ""Find an Altitude" Google Maps (accessed 8 February 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. ^ "A McDonald's Is Never More Than 107 Miles Away". HuffPost. November 23, 2009. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  9. ^ "McFarthest point in the US from a McDonald's".
  10. ^ "Where the Buffalo Roamed – How Far Can You Get from McDonald's?".
  11. ^ Map of the Grand River National Grassland
  12. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2023". Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  13. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  14. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  15. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  16. ^ "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.
  17. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  18. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  19. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Perkins County, SD" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 30, 2023. - Text list

45°30′N 102°29′W / 45.50°N 102.48°W / 45.50; -102.48

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