Beadle County, South Dakota

Beadle County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,149, making it the 11th most populous county in South Dakota. Its county seat is Huron. The county was created in 1879 and organized in 1880. Beadle County comprises the Huron, SD Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Beadle County, named for Brigadier General William Henry Harrison Beadle, was created by the Dakota Territory Legislature in 1879, and was organized in 1880 with the appointment of three county commissioners by Governor Nehemiah G. Ordway. The first town within Beadle County was Cavour, but Huron was named the county seat when the county commissioners first met there in July 1880.

Geography

The James River flows south-southeastward through the eastern central part of Beadle County. The terrain of Beadle County consists of low rolling hills, sloping toward the river valley. The county's highest point is its SW corner, at 1,841 ft (561 m) ASL. Its lowest point is on the south boundary line, where James River flows into adjacent Sanborn County, at 1,230 ft (370 m) ASL.

The county has a total area of 1,265 square miles (3,280 km²), of which 1,259 square miles (3,260 km²) is land and 6.1 square miles (16 km²) (0.5%) is water.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 19,149 people, 7,369 households, and 4,623 families residing in the county. The population density was 15.2 inhabitants per square mile (5.9/km²). There were 8,396 housing units.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 17,398 people, 7,276 households, and 4,509 families residing in the county. The population density was 13.8 inhabitants per square mile (5.3/km²). There were 8,304 housing units at an average density of 6.6 per square mile (2.5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.7% white, 3.6% Asian, 1.1% American Indian, 0.8% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 3.0% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 7.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 45.4% were German, 11.7% were Norwegian, 10.3% were Irish, 8.8% were English, and 4.1% were American.

Of the 7,276 households, 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.0% were non-families, and 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age was 41.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,716 and the median income for a family was $56,288. Males had a median income of $37,020 versus $25,824 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,409. About 6.3% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Huron (county seat)
• Iroquois (partial)
• Wessington (partial)

Towns

Census-designated places

• Huron Colony
• Morningside
• Pearl Creek Colony
• Riverside Colony
• Shamrock Colony

Townships

Politics

Beadle County has become more Republican in recent history. In 2000, George W. Bush won the county, ending a streak of Democratic-majority voting that began in 1990.

Education

School districts include:

• Doland School District 56-2
• Hitchcock-Tulare School District 56-6
• Huron School District 02-2
• Iroquois School District 02-3
• Miller Area School District 29-4
• Wessington Springs School District 36-2
• Willow Lake School District 12-3
• Wolsey-Wessington School District 02-6

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Beadle County, South Dakota
• The Old Timers by J. L. Carr

References

Bibliography

• J.L. Carr (1957) The Old Timers. A social history of the way of life of the home-steading pioneers in the Prairie States during the first few years of settlement, as shown by a typical community, the 'old-timers' of Beadle County in South Dakota. Huron, South Dakota: privately printed.