Walworth County, South Dakota

Walworth County
County
Walworth County Courthouse, Selby
Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota
South Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45°26′N100°02′W / 45.43°N 100.03°W / 45.43; -100.03
Country	United States
State	South Dakota
Founded	1873 (created) 1883 (organized)
Named for	Walworth County, Wisconsin
Seat	Selby
Largest city	Mobridge
Area
• Total	745 sq mi (1,930 km2)
• Land	709 sq mi (1,840 km2)
• Water	36 sq mi (90 km2)  4.8%
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,315
• Estimate  (2023)	5,269
• Density	7.1/sq mi (2.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	At-large
Website	walworthco.org

Walworth County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,315. ^[1] Its county seat is Selby. ^[2] The county was created in 1873 and organized in 1883. ^[3] It is named for Walworth County, Wisconsin. ^[4]

The Missouri River flows southward along the county's west boundary line. Swan Creek flows west-northwest through the county's SW corner, discharging into the Missouri. The county's terrain consists of semi-arid rolling hills, carved by drainages and gullies. Most of the area is devoted to agriculture. ^[5] The terrain slopes to the south and east, although the western portion of the county drops westward into the Missouri River valley. The county's highest point is on the eastern portion of its north boundary line, at 1,982 ft (604 m) ASL. ^[6] The county has a total area of 745 square miles (1,930 km²), of which 709 square miles (1,840 km²) is land and 36 square miles (93 km²) (4.8%) is water. ^[7]

The eastern portion of South Dakota's counties (48 of 66) observe Central Time; the western counties (18 of 66) observe Mountain Time. Walworth County is the westernmost of the SD counties to observe Central Time. ^[8]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 12
• U.S. Highway 83
• South Dakota Highway 20
• South Dakota Highway 47
• South Dakota Highway 130
• South Dakota Highway 144
• South Dakota Highway 271
• South Dakota Highway 1804

Adjacent counties

• Campbell County - north
• McPherson County - northeast
• Edmunds County - east
• Potter County - south
• Dewey County - southwest (observes Mountain Time)
• Corson County - northwest (observes Mountain Time)

Protected areas ^[5]

• Blue Blanket Lake State Game Production Area
• Bowdle Beach State Lakeside Use Area
• Indian Creek State Recreation Area
• Lake Hiddenwood State Recreation Area
• LeBeau State Lakeside Use Area
• Oahe Blue Blanket State Game Production Area
• Revheim Bay Recreation Area
• Spring Lake State Game Production Area
• Swan Creek State Game Production Area
• Swan Creek State Recreation Area
• Swan Lake State Game Production Area
• Thomas Bay State Lakeside Use Area
• Walth Bay State Game Production Area
• Walth Bay State Lakeside Use Area

Lakes ^[5]

• Horseshoe Lake
• Lake Hiddenwood
• Lake Oahe (part)
• Molsted Lake
• Spring Lake
• Swan Lake

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	46		—
1890	2,153		4,580.4%
1900	3,839		78.3%
1910	6,488		69.0%
1920	8,447		30.2%
1930	8,791		4.1%
1940	7,274		−17.3%
1950	7,648		5.1%
1960	8,097		5.9%
1970	7,842		−3.1%
1980	7,011		−10.6%
1990	6,087		−13.2%
2000	5,974		−1.9%
2010	5,438		−9.0%
2020	5,315		−2.3%
2023 (est.)	5,269	[9]	−0.9%
U.S. Decennial Census [10] 1790-1960 [11] 1900-1990 [12] 1990-2000 [13] 2010-2020 [1]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 5,315 people, 2,271 households, and 1,400 families in the county. ^[14] The population density was 7.5 inhabitants per square mile (2.9/km²). There were 2,927 housing units.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 5,438 people, 2,392 households, and 1,490 families in the county. The population density was 7.7 inhabitants per square mile (3.0/km²). There were 3,003 housing units at an average density of 4.2 units per square mile (1.6 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.6% white, 14.3% American Indian, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.2% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 56.9% were German, 12.5% were Norwegian, 8.9% were Russian, 5.4% were Irish, and 3.1% were American.

Of the 2,392 households, 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.7% were non-families, and 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.79. The median age was 47.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,517 and the median income for a family was $51,250. Males had a median income of $37,857 versus $21,551 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,716. About 7.5% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.6% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Mobridge
• Selby (county seat)

Towns

• Akaska (Population: 77)
• Glenham (Population: 112)
• Java (Population: 121)
• Lowry (Population: 10)

Unincorporated community ^[5]

• Sitka

Unorganized territory

• West Walworth
• East Walworth

Politics

Walworth County voters have been reliably Republican for decades. Only three Democratic presidential candidates have ever carried the county: William Jennings Bryan in 1896, Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 and 1936, and Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

United States presidential election results for Walworth County, South Dakota ^[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	1,940	78.67%	481	19.51%	45	1.82%
2020	1,966	76.20%	565	21.90%	49	1.90%
2016	1,896	76.54%	457	18.45%	124	5.01%
2012	1,731	70.31%	671	27.25%	60	2.44%
2008	1,668	62.94%	923	34.83%	59	2.23%
2004	1,967	68.30%	878	30.49%	35	1.22%
2000	1,758	68.86%	721	28.24%	74	2.90%
1996	1,461	52.38%	939	33.67%	389	13.95%
1992	1,439	49.48%	829	28.51%	640	22.01%
1988	1,940	63.40%	1,094	35.75%	26	0.85%
1984	2,396	75.02%	779	24.39%	19	0.59%
1980	2,675	74.55%	753	20.99%	160	4.46%
1976	2,187	58.66%	1,516	40.67%	25	0.67%
1972	2,416	65.10%	1,287	34.68%	8	0.22%
1968	2,204	60.19%	1,276	34.84%	182	4.97%
1964	1,849	48.65%	1,952	51.35%	0	0.00%
1960	2,406	62.11%	1,468	37.89%	0	0.00%
1956	2,132	60.21%	1,409	39.79%	0	0.00%
1952	2,369	65.24%	1,262	34.76%	0	0.00%
1948	1,607	50.94%	1,513	47.96%	35	1.11%
1944	1,533	55.64%	1,222	44.36%	0	0.00%
1940	1,921	55.11%	1,565	44.89%	0	0.00%
1936	1,420	38.73%	2,212	60.34%	34	0.93%
1932	1,049	31.60%	2,221	66.90%	50	1.51%
1928	1,854	59.96%	1,216	39.33%	22	0.71%
1924	1,033	44.15%	114	4.87%	1,193	50.98%
1920	1,411	61.40%	478	20.80%	409	17.80%
1916	761	55.03%	590	42.66%	32	2.31%
1912	0	0.00%	451	40.23%	670	59.77%
1908	825	67.96%	351	28.91%	38	3.13%
1904	654	76.05%	176	20.47%	30	3.49%
1900	478	61.92%	282	36.53%	12	1.55%
1896	250	46.21%	286	52.87%	5	0.92%
1892	187	44.21%	45	10.64%	191	45.15%

See also

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

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 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. Legislative Manual, South Dakota, 2005, p. 597
5. "Walworth County · South Dakota". Google Maps. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
6. ""Find an Altitude" Google Maps (accessed February 9, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
7. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
8. Map of Time Zone Line through South Dakota (accessed January 30, 2019)
9. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2023" . Retrieved March 17, 2024.
10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
12. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
13. "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.
14. "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
15. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 15, 2018.

45°26′N100°02′W / 45.43°N 100.03°W / 45.43; -100.03