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Minnehaha County, South Dakota
Minnehaha County Courthouse 9
Minnehaha County Courthouse in Sioux Falls
Map of South Dakota highlighting Minnehaha County
Location in the state of South Dakota
Map of the U.S
South Dakota's location in the U.S.
Founded 1862 (created)
1868 (organized)
Named for "rapid water"
Seat Sioux Falls
Largest city Sioux Falls
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

814 sq mi (2,108 km²)
807 sq mi (2,090 km²)
6.7 sq mi (17 km²), 0.8
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

197,214
Congressional district At-large
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.minnehahacounty.org

Minnehaha County is a county on the eastern border of the state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 197,214,[1] making it the state's most populous county. It contains over 20% of the state's population. Its county seat is Sioux Falls,[2] South Dakota's largest city. The county was created in 1862 and organized in 1868.[3] Its name was derived from the Sioux word Mnihaha, meaning "rapid water," or "waterfall" (often incorrectly translated as "laughing water").[4]

Minnehaha County is part of the Sioux Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, the state's largest.

Geography[]

SF Falls Park 31

The falls of the Big Sioux River at Falls Park

Minnehaha County SD Administration Building

County Administration Building

Minnehaha County lies on the east side of South Dakota. Its eastern boundary abuts Minnesota as well as the northern and western boundaries of Iowa. The Big Sioux River flows south-southeast through the east central part of the county. Its terrain consists of rolling hills, devoted to agriculture except around built-up areas, and dotted with lakes and ponds in its western portion.[5] Its terrain generally slopes southward, and the east and west edges slope to the river valley through the center of the county. Its highest point is in the northwest corner, at 1,752' (534m) ASL.[6]

Minnehaha County has an area of 814 square miles (2,110 km2), of which 807 square miles (2,090 km2) is land and 6.7 square miles (17 km2) (0.8%) is water.[7]

Major highways[]

  • I-29 I-29
  • Business Loop 29 I-29 Bus.
  • I-90 I-90
  • Business Spur 90 I-90 Bus.
  • I-229 I-229
  • Downtown Loop 229 Interstate 229 Dwtn.
  • SD 11 South Dakota Highway 11
  • SD 19 South Dakota Highway 19
  • SD 38 South Dakota Highway 38
  • SD 42 South Dakota Highway 42
  • SD 115 South Dakota Highway 115

Airports[]

  • Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD)
  • Wheelborg Landing Field, a small airport in Dell Rapids

Adjacent counties[]

Protected areas[]

  • Beaver Creek State Recreation Area
  • Big Sioux State Recreation Area
  • Diamond Lake State Game Production Area
  • Falls Park
  • Island Lake State Game Production Area (part)
  • Palisades State Park
  • Pederson State Game Production Area
  • Scott Lake State Game Production Area
  • Twin Lakes State Game Production Area
  • Wall Lake State Lakeside Use Area

Lakes, rivers and streams[5][]

  • Beaver Creek
  • Beaver Lake
  • Big Sioux River
  • Buffalo Lake
  • Clear Lake
  • Covell Lake
  • Diamond Lake
  • Fenstrman Slough
  • Grass Lake
  • Island Lake (partial)
  • Lake Lorane
  • Loss Lake
  • Lost Lake
  • Rehfeldt Slough
  • Scott Lake
  • Skunk Creek
  • Split Rock Creek
  • Twin Lake
  • Wall Lake

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1870 355
1880 8,251 2,224.2%
1890 21,879 165.2%
1900 23,926 9.4%
1910 29,631 23.8%
1920 42,490 43.4%
1930 50,872 19.7%
1940 57,697 13.4%
1950 70,910 22.9%
1960 86,575 22.1%
1970 95,209 10.0%
1980 109,435 14.9%
1990 123,809 13.1%
2000 148,281 19.8%
2010 169,468 14.3%
US Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2020[1]

2000 census[]

As of the 2000 United States Census,[12] there were 148,281 people, 57,996 households, and 37,581 families in the county. The population density was 183 people per square mile (71/km2). There were 60,237 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile (29/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.03% White, 1.51% Black or African American, 1.85% Native American, 1.01% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.04% from other races, and 1.51% from two or more races. 2.15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 57,996 households, out of which 33.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.80% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.20% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.04.

The county population contained 26.20% under the age of 18, 10.80% from 18 to 24, 32.00% from 25 to 44, 20.00% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,566, and the median income for a family was $52,031. Males had a median income of $32,208 versus $24,691 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,713. About 5.00% of families and 7.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.90% of those under age 18 and 7.20% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census[]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 169,468 people, 67,028 households, and 42,052 families in the county.[13] The population density was 210.0 inhabitants per square mile (81.1 /km2). There were 71,557 housing units at an average density of 88.7 per square mile (34.2 /km2).[14] The racial makeup of the county was 88.1% white, 3.8% black or African American, 2.5% American Indian, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 1.8% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.1% of the population.[13] In terms of ancestry, 43.8% were German, 17.7% were Norwegian, 11.6% were Irish, 6.8% were Dutch, 6.3% were English, and 3.2% were American.[15]

Of the 67,028 households, 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.3% were non-families, and 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.03. The median age was 34.5 years.[13]

The median income for a household in the county was $51,799 and the median income for a family was $64,645. Males had a median income of $40,187 versus $31,517 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,392. About 6.9% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.[16]

Politics[]

Minnehaha is somewhat conservative for an urban county. Only five Democratic presidential candidates have carried the county since 1940.

United States presidential election results for Minnehaha County, South Dakota[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 49,249 53.34% 40,482 43.85% 2,595 2.81%
2016 42,043 53.72% 30,610 39.11% 5,610 7.17%
2012 40,342 52.68% 34,674 45.28% 1,567 2.05%
2008 39,251 48.73% 39,838 49.46% 1,463 1.82%
2004 44,189 56.92% 32,314 41.62% 1,129 1.45%
2000 33,428 54.47% 27,042 44.06% 899 1.46%
1996 27,432 44.24% 29,790 48.05% 4,782 7.71%
1992 25,081 39.32% 27,016 42.35% 11,689 18.33%
1988 26,765 47.71% 29,135 51.94% 195 0.35%
1984 29,908 56.25% 23,042 43.34% 221 0.42%
1980 26,256 51.00% 20,008 38.87% 5,214 10.13%
1976 23,286 51.12% 22,068 48.44% 202 0.44%
1972 22,447 49.90% 22,386 49.76% 155 0.34%
1968 20,141 53.31% 16,462 43.57% 1,177 3.12%
1964 16,766 44.48% 20,929 55.52% 0 0.00%
1960 23,238 60.53% 15,152 39.47% 0 0.00%
1956 22,285 62.99% 13,093 37.01% 0 0.00%
1952 23,559 71.50% 9,390 28.50% 0 0.00%
1948 14,047 53.77% 11,770 45.05% 308 1.18%
1944 13,920 57.67% 10,216 42.33% 0 0.00%
1940 16,664 57.62% 12,259 42.38% 0 0.00%
1936 12,418 46.85% 13,174 49.70% 916 3.46%
1932 10,288 44.21% 12,646 54.34% 339 1.46%
1928 13,741 66.68% 6,805 33.02% 62 0.30%
1924 8,822 55.93% 1,524 9.66% 5,427 34.41%
1920 8,290 63.15% 2,534 19.30% 2,303 17.54%
1916 4,318 52.64% 3,494 42.59% 391 4.77%
1912 0 0.00% 2,576 42.38% 3,502 57.62%
1908 4,125 64.07% 1,948 30.26% 365 5.67%
1904 4,455 74.04% 1,046 17.38% 516 8.58%
1900 3,410 57.04% 2,440 40.82% 128 2.14%
1896 2,429 47.20% 2,667 51.83% 50 0.97%
1892 2,208 52.31% 484 11.47% 1,529 36.22%



Communities[]

Cities[]

  • Baltic
  • Brandon
  • Colton
  • Crooks
  • Dell Rapids
  • Garretson
  • Hartford
  • Sioux Falls (county seat)
  • Valley Springs

Towns[]

  • Humboldt
  • Sherman

Census-designated places[]

  • Anderson
  • Meadow View Addition
  • Pine Lakes Addition
  • Renner Corner

Unincorporated communities[5][]

  • Andy's Acres
  • Benclare
  • Booge
  • Corson
  • Ellis
  • Huntimer
  • Lyons
  • Midway
  • Morefield
  • Renner
  • Rowena

Townships[]

  • Benton
  • Brandon
  • Buffalo
  • Burk
  • Clear Lake
  • Dell Rapids
  • Edison
  • Grand Meadow
  • Hartford
  • Highland
  • Humboldt
  • Logan
  • Lyons
  • Mapleton
  • Palisade
  • Red Rock
  • Sioux Falls
  • Split Rock
  • Sverdrup
  • Taopi
  • Valley Springs
  • Wall Lake
  • Wayne
  • Wellington

Historical townsites[]

East Sioux Falls, SD 1

Sign marking the site of the former town of East Sioux Falls

  • East Sioux Falls
  • Eminija
  • South Sioux Falls
  • West Sioux Falls
  • Wingert

See also[]

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

References[]

  1. ^ a b "2020 Census Results". US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade/2020/2020-census-results.html. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". The Newberry Library. 2006. http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/DAKs_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm. 
  4. ^ Stewart, George R. (1945). Names on the Land. Random House. p. 291. https://archive.org/details/namesofland0000unse. "In the language of the Sioux, a waterfall was haha; water itself was minne. White men by a misunderstanding had coupled the two words, and produced Minnehaha Falls, a name thus meaning "water-waterfalls-falls". By a complete though natural misunderstanding of haha, the name had been romantically translated as Laughing Water" 
  5. ^ a b c [1]
  6. ^ ""Find an Alittude" Google Maps (accessed 7 February 2019)". https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm. 
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_46.txt. 
  8. ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  9. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  10. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/sd190090.txt. 
  11. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". US Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  13. ^ a b c "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". US Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US46099. 
  14. ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". US Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US46099. 
  15. ^ "Selected Social Characteristics in the US – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US46099. 
  16. ^ "Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US46099. 
  17. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 

External links[]

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Coordinates: 43°41′N 96°47′W / 43.68, -96.79

This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Minnehaha County, South Dakota. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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