Clark County, South Dakota

Last updated

Clark County
County
CLARK COUNTY COURTHOUSE, CLARK,SD.JPG
Clark County Courthouse
Map of South Dakota highlighting Clark County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota
South Dakota in United States.svg
South Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°52′N97°44′W / 44.86°N 97.73°W / 44.86; -97.73
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of South Dakota.svg  South Dakota
Founded1873 (created)
1881 (organized)
Named after Newton Clark
Seat Clark
Largest cityClark
Area
 • Total
967 sq mi (2,500 km2)
 • Land958 sq mi (2,480 km2)
 • Water9.9 sq mi (26 km2)  1.0%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
3,837
 • Estimate 
(2024)
3,974 Increase2.svg
 • Density4.0/sq mi (1.5/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district At-large
Website http://clark.sdcounties.org/

Clark County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,837. [1] Its county seat is Clark. [2] The county was created in 1873 and organized in 1881. [3] It was named for Newton Clark, a Dakota Territory legislator in 1873. [4] [5]

Contents

Geography

Clark County terrain consists of rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds especially in the east central portion. The area is mostly devoted to agriculture. [6] The county has a total area of 967 square miles (2,500 km2), of which 958 square miles (2,480 km2) is land and 9.9 square miles (26 km2) (1.0%) is water. [7]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

  • Christopherson State Public Shooting Area [8]
  • Dry Lake Number Two State Public Shooting Area [9]
  • Fordham State Public Shooting Area [10]
  • McPeek State Public Shooting Area [11]
  • Stairs Slough State Public Shooting Area [12]
  • Willow Lake State Public Shooting Area [13]

Lakes and reservoirs

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880 114—
1890 6,7285,801.8%
1900 6,9423.2%
1910 10,90157.0%
1920 11,1362.2%
1930 11,022−1.0%
1940 8,955−18.8%
1950 8,369−6.5%
1960 7,134−14.8%
1970 5,515−22.7%
1980 4,894−11.3%
1990 4,403−10.0%
2000 4,143−5.9%
2010 3,691−10.9%
2020 3,8374.0%
2024 (est.)3,974 [21] 3.6%
U.S. Decennial Census [22]
1790–1960 [23] 1900–1990 [24]
1990–2000 [25] 2010–2020 [1]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 3,837 people, 1,361 households, and 853 families residing in the county. [26] The population density was 4.0 inhabitants per square mile (1.5/km2). There were 1,603 housing units.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 3,691 people, 1,445 households, and 929 families residing in the county. The population density was 3.9 inhabitants per square mile (1.5/km2). There were 1,710 housing units at an average density of 1.8 per square mile (0.69/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.1% white, 0.2% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.8% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 52.0% were German, 29.4% were Norwegian, 9.7% were Irish, 7.8% were English, 5.4% were Swedish, and 3.5% were American.

Of the 1,445 households, 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples living together, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.7% were non-families, and 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.79. The median age was 45.7 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $43,894 and the median income for a family was $55,575. Males had a median income of $33,606 versus $24,952 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,909. About 7.5% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.5% of those under age 18 and 12.6% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Townships

  • Ash
  • Blaine
  • Collins
  • Cottonwood
  • Darlington
  • Day
  • Eden
  • Fordham
  • Foxton
  • Garfield
  • Hague
  • Lake
  • Lincoln
  • Logan
  • Maydell
  • Merton
  • Mount Pleasant
  • Pleasant
  • Raymond
  • Richland
  • Rosedale
  • Spring Valley
  • Thorp
  • Warren
  • Washington
  • Woodland

Politics

Clark County is a strongly Republican county. The last time it voted Democratic was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

United States presidential election results for Clark County, South Dakota [27]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
2024 1,38275.03%41522.53%452.44%
2020 1,37374.22%43723.62%402.16%
2016 1,13968.74%39824.02%1207.24%
2012 1,06758.59%71339.15%412.25%
2008 1,06554.90%83042.78%452.32%
2004 1,43561.67%87537.60%170.73%
2000 1,27260.34%79137.52%452.13%
1996 99844.51%95642.64%28812.85%
1992 80333.81%79933.64%77332.55%
1988 1,24751.44%1,16448.02%130.54%
1984 1,74864.31%96035.32%100.37%
1980 1,96367.43%77426.59%1745.98%
1976 1,44951.06%1,37648.48%130.46%
1972 1,61754.59%1,33645.10%90.30%
1968 1,59652.50%1,32543.59%1193.91%
1964 1,51146.04%1,77153.96%00.00%
1960 2,20461.05%1,40638.95%00.00%
1956 2,17358.83%1,52141.17%00.00%
1952 2,69271.44%1,07628.56%00.00%
1948 1,62550.59%1,55948.54%280.87%
1944 1,93661.56%1,20938.44%00.00%
1940 2,62261.75%1,62438.25%00.00%
1936 1,88346.07%2,03649.82%1684.11%
1932 1,57236.56%2,64961.60%791.84%
1928 2,66565.46%1,37033.65%360.88%
1924 1,68456.85%32510.97%95332.17%
1920 1,75360.24%43715.02%72024.74%
1916 1,22652.71%1,01643.68%843.61%
1912 00.00%66838.48%1,06861.52%
1908 1,23464.37%55729.06%1266.57%
1904 1,40973.85%27614.47%22311.69%
1900 99654.16%75240.89%914.95%
1896 69545.01%81652.85%332.14%
1892 73147.19%19712.72%62140.09%

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "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 29, 2015.
  4. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p.  82.
  5. ↑ Chicago and North Western Railway Company (1908). A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways. p. 57.
  6. ↑ Clark County SD Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
  7. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  8. ↑ Christopherson State Public Shooting Area, Vienna SD Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
  9. ↑ Dry Lake Number 2 State Public Shooting Area, Willow Lake SD Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
  10. ↑ Fordham State Public Shooting Area Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
  11. ↑ McPeek State Public Shooting Area, Willow Lake SD Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
  12. ↑ Stairs Slough State Public Shooting Area, Clark SD Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
  13. ↑ Willow Lake State Public Shooting Area, Willow Lake SD Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
  14. ↑ Baileys Lake Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
  15. ↑ Dry Lake Number One Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
  16. ↑ Dry Lake Number Two Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
  17. ↑ Mud Lake Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
  18. ↑ Reid Lake Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
  19. ↑ Swan Lake Google Maps (accessed January 31, 2019)
  20. ↑ Willow Lake SD Google Maps (accessedJanuary 31, 2019)
  21. ↑ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024" . Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  22. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  24. ↑ 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.
  25. ↑ "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.
  26. ↑ "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  27. ↑ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 13, 2018.

44°52′N97°44′W / 44.86°N 97.73°W / 44.86; -97.73

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