McCook County, South Dakota
McCook County, South Dakota | |
|---|---|
Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota | |
| Coordinates: 43°40′49.498″N 97°21′28.972″W / 43.68041611°N 97.35804778°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | South Dakota |
| Founded | January 8, 1873 (created) June 15, 1878 (organized) |
| Named after | Edwin Stanton McCook |
| Seat | Salem |
| Largest city | Salem |
| Area | |
• Total | 576.867 sq mi (1,494.08 km2) |
| • Land | 574.205 sq mi (1,487.18 km2) |
| • Water | 2.662 sq mi (6.89 km2) 0.5% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 5,682 |
• Estimate (2024) | 5,771 |
| • Density | 10.115/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]
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
- Lake County - northeast
- Minnehaha County - east
- Turner County - southeast
- Hutchinson County - southwest
- Hanson County - west
- Miner County - northwest
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]
- East Vermillion Lake AKA Lake Vermillion
- Island Lake
- Lake Ell
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 1,283 | — | |
| 1890 | 6,448 | 402.6% | |
| 1900 | 8,689 | 34.8% | |
| 1910 | 9,589 | 10.4% | |
| 1920 | 9,990 | 4.2% | |
| 1930 | 10,316 | 3.3% | |
| 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 | 5,832 | 2.5% | |
| 2010 | 5,618 | −3.7% | |
| 2020 | 5,682 | 1.1% | |
| 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).[14] Of the residents, 25.4% were under the age of 18 and 20.1% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 41.6 years. For every 100 females there were 100.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.4 males.[15]
The racial makeup of the county was 93.6% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 1.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Asian, 1.3% from some other race, and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.1% of the population.[16]
There were 2,159 households in the county, of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 18.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[15]
There were 2,448 housing units, of which 11.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 80.8% were owner-occupied and 19.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.7%.[15]
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.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| № | % | № | % | № | % | |
| 1892 | 573 | 37.35% | 262 | 17.08% | 699 | 45.57% |
| 1896 | 678 | 39.03% | 1,047 | 60.28% | 12 | 0.69% |
| 1900 | 978 | 49.07% | 989 | 49.62% | 26 | 1.30% |
| 1904 | 1,284 | 63.00% | 693 | 34.00% | 61 | 2.99% |
| 1908 | 1,209 | 57.00% | 826 | 38.94% | 86 | 4.05% |
| 1912 | 0 | 0.00% | 962 | 44.64% | 1,193 | 55.36% |
| 1916 | 1,194 | 52.19% | 1,021 | 44.62% | 73 | 3.19% |
| 1920 | 1,864 | 60.52% | 565 | 18.34% | 651 | 21.14% |
| 1924 | 1,368 | 44.27% | 457 | 14.79% | 1,265 | 40.94% |
| 1928 | 2,234 | 55.78% | 1,758 | 43.90% | 13 | 0.32% |
| 1932 | 1,436 | 32.47% | 2,884 | 65.22% | 102 | 2.31% |
| 1936 | 2,117 | 43.64% | 2,536 | 52.28% | 198 | 4.08% |
| 1940 | 3,310 | 66.12% | 1,696 | 33.88% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 2,516 | 68.39% | 1,163 | 31.61% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 2,064 | 59.46% | 1,387 | 39.96% | 20 | 0.58% |
| 1952 | 2,991 | 72.63% | 1,127 | 27.37% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 2,382 | 57.54% | 1,758 | 42.46% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 2,375 | 56.93% | 1,797 | 43.07% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 1,756 | 44.60% | 2,181 | 55.40% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 1,959 | 51.55% | 1,653 | 43.50% | 188 | 4.95% |
| 1972 | 1,963 | 49.53% | 1,993 | 50.29% | 7 | 0.18% |
| 1976 | 1,744 | 48.74% | 1,822 | 50.92% | 12 | 0.34% |
| 1980 | 2,014 | 56.83% | 1,223 | 34.51% | 307 | 8.66% |
| 1984 | 1,902 | 56.57% | 1,448 | 43.07% | 12 | 0.36% |
| 1988 | 1,501 | 50.00% | 1,492 | 49.70% | 9 | 0.30% |
| 1992 | 1,177 | 39.44% | 1,167 | 39.11% | 640 | 21.45% |
| 1996 | 1,292 | 47.45% | 1,166 | 42.82% | 265 | 9.73% |
| 2000 | 1,610 | 61.19% | 965 | 36.68% | 56 | 2.13% |
| 2004 | 2,017 | 61.66% | 1,201 | 36.72% | 53 | 1.62% |
| 2008 | 1,646 | 55.89% | 1,219 | 41.39% | 80 | 2.72% |
| 2012 | 1,655 | 63.34% | 905 | 34.63% | 53 | 2.03% |
| 2016 | 1,794 | 69.35% | 623 | 24.08% | 170 | 6.57% |
| 2020 | 2,068 | 71.31% | 769 | 26.52% | 63 | 2.17% |
| 2024 | 2,227 | 73.47% | 733 | 24.18% | 71 | 2.34% |
Communities
Cities
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
Source:[6]
- Stanley Corner
- Unityville
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
- Laurent - (proposed / abandoned housing development)
See also
References
- ^ "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 997. ISBN 978-1135948597. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b c d "McCook County · South Dakota". Google Maps. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
- ^ ""Find an Altitude" Google Maps (accessed February 5, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
- ^ "2024 County Gazetteer Files – South Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
- ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". Retrieved March 15, 2025.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
- ^ a b c d "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-04.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-04.
- ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
- ^ Andrews, John (March 17, 2017). "Inspired by McCook County". South Dakota Magazine.