McCook County, South Dakota

Last updated

McCook County
County
SalemSD McCookCountyCourthouse.jpg
McCook County Courthouse
Map of South Dakota highlighting McCook 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: 43°40′49.498″N97°21′28.972″W / 43.68041611°N 97.35804778°W / 43.68041611; -97.35804778
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of South Dakota.svg South Dakota
FoundedJanuary 8, 1873 (created)
June 15, 1878 (organized)
Named after Edwin Stanton McCook
Seat Salem
Largest citySalem
Area
 • Total
576.867 sq mi (1,494.08 km2)
 • Land574.205 sq mi (1,487.18 km2)
 • Water2.662 sq mi (6.89 km2)  0.5%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
5,682
 • Estimate 
(2024)
5,771 Increase2.svg
 • Density10.115/sq mi (3.905/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district At-large
Website mccookcountysd.com

McCook County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,682. [1] Its county seat is Salem. [2] The county was established in 1873, and was organized in 1878. [3] It was named for the former governor of the Dakota Territory and Civil War general Edwin Stanton McCook. [4] [5]

Contents

McCook County is part of the Sioux Falls, SD Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

The terrain of McCook County consists of rolling hills, mostly devoted to agriculture. [6] The terrain slopes to the south and southwest; its highest point is near its northeast corner, at 1,798 ft (548 m) ASL. [7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 576.867 square miles (1,494.08 km2), of which 574.205 square miles (1,487.18 km2) is land and 2.662 square miles (6.89 km2) (0.5%) is water. [8] It is the 52nd largest county in South Dakota by total area.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

Source: [6]

  • Ediger State Game Production Area
  • Forsch Lake State State Game Production Area
  • Lake Vermillion State Recreation Area
  • Lehrman Slough State Game production Area
  • Tschetter Slough State Game Production Area

Lakes

Source: [6]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880 1,283—
1890 6,448402.6%
1900 8,68934.8%
1910 9,58910.4%
1920 9,9904.2%
1930 10,3163.3%
1940 9,793−5.1%
1950 8,828−9.9%
1960 8,268−6.3%
1970 7,246−12.4%
1980 6,444−11.1%
1990 5,688−11.7%
2000 5,8322.5%
2010 5,618−3.7%
2020 5,6821.1%
2024 (est.)5,771 [9] 1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census [10]
1790–1960 [11] 1900–1990 [12]
1990–2000 [13] 2010–2020 [14]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 5,682 people, 2,159 households, and 1,505 families residing in the county. [15] The population density was 9.9 inhabitants per square mile (3.8/km2). There were 2,448 housing units.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 5,618 people, 2,168 households, and 1,535 families in the county. The population density was 9.8 inhabitants per square mile (3.8/km2). There were 2,491 housing units at an average density of 4.3 units per square mile (1.7 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.0% white, 0.4% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.6% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.8% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 61.5% were German, 12.8% were Irish, 11.1% were Norwegian, 7.4% were Swedish, 6.2% were Dutch, 5.2% were English, and 3.5% were American.

Of the 2,168 households, 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.2% were non-families, and 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age was 42.7 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,022 and the median income for a family was $57,287. Males had a median income of $35,951 versus $29,750 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,502. About 5.2% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

McCook County voters usually vote Republican. Although the county was one only 130 nationwide to support favorite son George McGovern in 1972, it has selected the Democratic nominee in only six other elections since South Dakota's statehood, and none since 1980.

United States presidential election results for McCook County, South Dakota [16]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1892 57337.35%26217.08%69945.57%
1896 67839.03%1,04760.28%120.69%
1900 97849.07%98949.62%261.30%
1904 1,28463.00%69334.00%612.99%
1908 1,20957.00%82638.94%864.05%
1912 00.00%96244.64%1,19355.36%
1916 1,19452.19%1,02144.62%733.19%
1920 1,86460.52%56518.34%65121.14%
1924 1,36844.27%45714.79%1,26540.94%
1928 2,23455.78%1,75843.90%130.32%
1932 1,43632.47%2,88465.22%1022.31%
1936 2,11743.64%2,53652.28%1984.08%
1940 3,31066.12%1,69633.88%00.00%
1944 2,51668.39%1,16331.61%00.00%
1948 2,06459.46%1,38739.96%200.58%
1952 2,99172.63%1,12727.37%00.00%
1956 2,38257.54%1,75842.46%00.00%
1960 2,37556.93%1,79743.07%00.00%
1964 1,75644.60%2,18155.40%00.00%
1968 1,95951.55%1,65343.50%1884.95%
1972 1,96349.53%1,99350.29%70.18%
1976 1,74448.74%1,82250.92%120.34%
1980 2,01456.83%1,22334.51%3078.66%
1984 1,90256.57%1,44843.07%120.36%
1988 1,50150.00%1,49249.70%90.30%
1992 1,17739.44%1,16739.11%64021.45%
1996 1,29247.45%1,16642.82%2659.73%
2000 1,61061.19%96536.68%562.13%
2004 2,01761.66%1,20136.72%531.62%
2008 1,64655.89%1,21941.39%802.72%
2012 1,65563.34%90534.63%532.03%
2016 1,79469.35%62324.08%1706.57%
2020 2,06871.31%76926.52%632.17%
2024 2,22773.47%73324.18%712.34%

Communities

Cities

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Source: [6]

Townships

The county is divided into sixteen townships:

  • Benton
  • Bridgewater
  • Brookfield
  • Canistota
  • Emery
  • Grant
  • Greenland
  • Jefferson
  • Pearl
  • Montrose
  • Union
  • Ramsey
  • Richland
  • Salem
  • Spring Valley
  • Sun Prairie

Other places

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties . Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". The Newberry Library. 2006. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  4. ↑ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 997. ISBN   978-1135948597 . Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  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. 162.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "McCook County · South Dakota". Google Maps. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  7. ↑ ""Find an Altitude" Google Maps (accessed February 5, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  8. ↑ "2024 County Gazetteer Files – South Dakota". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  9. ↑ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024" . Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  10. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  12. ↑ 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.
  13. ↑ "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.
  14. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  15. ↑ "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  16. ↑ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  17. ↑ Andrews, John (March 17, 2017). "Inspired by McCook County". South Dakota Magazine .

43°40′N97°22′W / 43.67°N 97.36°W / 43.67; -97.36

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