Buffalo County, South Dakota

Not to be confused with Buffalo, South Dakota.

Buffalo County
County
Fort Thompson Big Bend Dam.
Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota
South Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°02′39.502″N99°12′14.392″W / 44.04430611°N 99.20399778°W / 44.04430611; -99.20399778
Country	United States
State	South Dakota
Founded	1864 (created) 1871 (organized)
Named after	American buffalo
Seat	Gann Valley
Largest community	Fort Thompson
Area
• Total	488 sq mi (1,260 km2)
• Land	471 sq mi (1,220 km2)
• Water	16 sq mi (40 km2)  3.4%
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,948
• Estimate  (2024)	1,825
• Density	4.0/sq mi (1.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	At-large
Website	buffalo.sdcounties.org

Buffalo County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,948. ^[1] Its county seat is Gann Valley ^[2] which, at 10 people, is the least populous county seat in the United States. The county was created in 1864, and was organized in 1871 ^[3] as part of the Dakota Territory.

In 2010, the center of population of South Dakota was located in eastern Buffalo County. ^[4] The Crow Creek Indian Reservation, inhabited by the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, makes up the majority of Buffalo County.

According to the 2013 Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates of the U.S. Census Bureau, about 41% of county residents live in poverty, making it the fifth-poorest county in South Dakota. This is a far higher poverty rate than the national poverty rate of 15.8%. Median household income in 2013 was $21,572, making it the lowest-earning county in South Dakota and the United States. ^[5]

In March 2019, the county unemployment rate was 3.9%; its ten-year peaks occurred in December 2006 (18.1%) and December 2009 (17.2%). ^[6] As of 2002 ^[update] , many homes lack kitchens and indoor plumbing. ^[7]

Geography

The Missouri River flows southerly along the county's western boundary. The county terrain consists of semi-arid rolling hills, generally sloping to the south and east. Some area is devoted to agriculture. The south and west parts of the county are drained by Crow Creek, which discharges into the river at the county's SW corner. The county has a total area of 488 square miles (1,260 km²), of which 471 square miles (1,220 km²) is land and 16 square miles (41 km²) (3.4%) is water. ^[8]

Major highways

• South Dakota Highway 34
• South Dakota Highway 45
• South Dakota Highway 47
• South Dakota Highway 50

Adjacent counties

• Hand – northeast
• Jerauld – east
• Brule – south
• Lyman – west
• Hyde – northwest

Protected Areas

• Pease State Game Production Area

Lakes

• Bedashosha Lake
• Lake Francis Case (part)
• Lake Sharpe (part)

History

As first organized, the county occupied an extensive area, bounded on the north by Canada, southwest and west by the Missouri River, having Montana for a part of its northwest boundary, and comprising a large portion of the "Plateau du Coteau du Missouri", and a part of the Miniwakan or Devil's Lake. ^[9] Thus, its original boundary also contained a portion of the future North Dakota, which became a separate unit when the Dakota Territory was admitted into the Union in 1889 as two separate states.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	246		—
1880	63		−74.4%
1890	993		1,476.2%
1900	1,790		80.3%
1910	1,589		−11.2%
1920	1,715		7.9%
1930	1,931		12.6%
1940	1,853		−4.0%
1950	1,615		−12.8%
1960	1,547		−4.2%
1970	1,739		12.4%
1980	1,795		3.2%
1990	1,759		−2.0%
2000	2,032		15.5%
2010	1,912		−5.9%
2020	1,948		1.9%
2024 (est.)	1,825	[10]	−6.3%
U.S. Decennial Census [11] 1790–1960 [12] 1900–1990 [13] 1990–2000 [14] 2010–2020 [1]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 1,948 people, 497 households, and 393 families residing in the county. ^[15] The population density was 4.1 inhabitants per square mile (1.6/km²). There were 570 housing units.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 1,912 people, 532 households, and 407 families in the county. The population density was 4.1 inhabitants per square mile (1.6/km²). There were 609 housing units at an average density of 1.3 per square mile (0.50/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 84.0% Native American, 14.8% white, 0.2% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.0% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.8% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 5.6% were German, and 0.0% were American.

Of the 532 households, 55.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.1% were married couples living together, 33.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 23.5% were non-families, and 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 3.59 and the average family size was 4.06. The median age was 25.0 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,926 and the median income for a family was $28,333. Males had a median income of $38,920 versus $18,542 for females. The per capita income for the county was $11,410. About 44.4% of families and 49.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 58.2% of those under age 18 and 36.3% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Census-designated places

• Gann Valley (county seat)
• Fort Thompson

Unincorporated communities

• Crow Creek ^[16]
• North Buffalo ^[17]
• Shelby ^[18]
• Southeast Buffalo ^[19]

Township

• Elvira

Politics

Democratic Party nominees have won Buffalo County in every presidential election since 1956 except the 1980 and 1984 elections, which Ronald Reagan won. However, many people in Buffalo County are also socially conservative, with this county being the only one in the state to both vote for Kamala Harris for president and vote against 2024 South Dakota Amendment G, which would have established a right to abortion in South Dakota's constitution. ^[20]

United States presidential election results for Buffalo County, South Dakota ^[21]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	164	35.19%	291	62.45%	11	2.36%
2020	183	33.33%	352	64.12%	14	2.55%
2016	171	34.90%	296	60.41%	23	4.69%
2012	166	25.90%	472	73.63%	3	0.47%
2008	156	25.20%	454	73.34%	9	1.45%
2004	223	26.52%	603	71.70%	15	1.78%
2000	140	34.31%	256	62.75%	12	2.94%
1996	134	20.94%	465	72.66%	41	6.41%
1992	137	27.62%	282	56.85%	77	15.52%
1988	151	30.82%	334	68.16%	5	1.02%
1984	253	51.21%	236	47.77%	5	1.01%
1980	272	59.65%	147	32.24%	37	8.11%
1976	194	44.70%	240	55.30%	0	0.00%
1972	221	44.47%	275	55.33%	1	0.20%
1968	261	47.11%	265	47.83%	28	5.05%
1964	278	35.69%	501	64.31%	0	0.00%
1960	294	46.82%	334	53.18%	0	0.00%
1956	314	49.68%	318	50.32%	0	0.00%
1952	413	61.46%	259	38.54%	0	0.00%
1948	313	48.01%	334	51.23%	5	0.77%
1944	324	56.45%	250	43.55%	0	0.00%
1940	491	55.42%	395	44.58%	0	0.00%
1936	368	46.29%	410	51.57%	17	2.14%
1932	270	29.64%	634	69.59%	7	0.77%
1928	405	51.01%	387	48.74%	2	0.25%
1924	309	41.53%	225	30.24%	210	28.23%
1920	200	59.70%	101	30.15%	34	10.15%
1916	80	30.19%	182	68.68%	3	1.13%
1912	0	0.00%	105	53.85%	90	46.15%
1908	105	58.99%	69	38.76%	4	2.25%
1904	118	60.51%	43	22.05%	34	17.44%
1900	87	46.28%	100	53.19%	1	0.53%
1896	68	46.26%	79	53.74%	0	0.00%
1892	78	50.65%	13	8.44%	63	40.91%

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Buffalo County, South Dakota

Further reading

• "Buffalo County". South Dakota Magazine . Part of a series on South Dakota counties.

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
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 28, 2015.
4. "Centers of Population by State: 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
5. 2013 Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, Interactive SAIPE Data and Mapping Tool, Bureau of the Census.
6. Unemployment Rate in Buffalo County, SD, Federal Reserve Economic Data, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
7. Cara Hetland, South Dakota has nation's poorest county, Minnesota Public Radio (October 1, 2002).
8. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
9. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Ripley, George; Dana, Charles A., eds. (1879). "Buffalo. III. A S. E. county of Dakota"  . The American Cyclopædia .
10. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024" . Retrieved March 15, 2025.
11. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
12. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
13. Forstall, Richard L. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 19, 1999. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
14. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
15. "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
16. Crow Creek SD Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
17. North Buffalo SD Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
18. Shelby SD Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
19. Southeast Buffalo SD Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
20. https://electionresults.sd.gov/resultsSW.aspx?type=BQ&map=CTY
21. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 13, 2018.