Kingsbury County, South Dakota | |
|---|---|
 Kingsbury County Courthouse in De Smet | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofSouth Dakota | |
| Coordinates:44°22′N97°29′W / 44.37°N 97.49°W /44.37; -97.49 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  South Dakota |
| Founded | 1873 (created) 1880 (organized) |
| Named after | George W. Kingsbury & T.A. Kingsbury |
| Seat | De Smet |
| Largest city | De Smet |
| Area | |
• Total | 864 sq mi (2,240 km2) |
| • Land | 832 sq mi (2,150 km2) |
| • Water | 32 sq mi (83 km2) 3.6% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 5,187 |
• Estimate (2024) | 5,261 |
| • Density | 6.23/sq mi (2.41/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | At-large |
| Website | kingsbury |
Kingsbury County is acounty in theU.S. state ofSouth Dakota. As of the2020 census, the population was 5,187.[1] Itscounty seat isDe Smet.[2] The county was created in 1873, and was organized in 1880.[3] It was named for brothers George W. and T. A. Kingsbury, descendants of the colonial English Kingsbury family inBoston, Massachusetts. They were prominently involved in the affairs ofDakota Territory and served as elected members of several Territorial Legislatures.
John C. Fremont surveyed the area in 1838, naming lakes Preston and Albert.[4] The 1851Treaty of Mendota with theSantee Sioux and the1858 Yankton Treaty ceded the region for American settlement.[5] American presence was minimal until theDakota Boom, with the notable exception of Jacob Hanson's settlement atLake Albert in 1873.[5]
Settlement surged in 1879 with theChicago & North Western Railroad’s extension to De Smet.[4] Kingsbury County was created in 1873, named for territorial legislators George W. and T. A. Kingsbury and was organized on December 13, 1879 with De Smet as the county seat.[4] Settlements at Lake Preston, Arlington, and Iroquois grew rapidly, driven by the railroad and fertile prairie lands. By 1880, the county’s population reached 1,234.[4]
Agriculture, particularly corn and wheat, anchored early economic growth, with towns like Lake Preston boasting mills and newspapers by 1881.[4] De Smet gained fame as the setting for Laura Ingalls Wilder’sLittle House series, includingThe Long Winter andLittle Town on the Prairie, chronicling her family’s life there from 1879.[6]
The terrain of Kingsbury County consists of low rolling hills. The central and east portions of the county hold numerous lakes and ponds. The land is largely devoted to agriculture.[7] The terrain generally slopes to the southwest, and the highest point is near the midpoint of the east boundary line, at 1,857 ft (566 m) ASL.[8] The county has a total area of 864 square miles (2,240 km2), of which 832 square miles (2,150 km2) is land and 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2) (6.2%) is water.[9]
Source:[7]
Industrialization of agriculture and the attraction of urban areas have contributed to the decline in population of Kingsbury County, similar to what has occurred in other Plains rural areas. In 2010 it had less than half the population of its peak in 1930, before theDust Bowl and theGreat Depression.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 1,102 | — | |
| 1890 | 8,562 | 677.0% | |
| 1900 | 9,866 | 15.2% | |
| 1910 | 12,560 | 27.3% | |
| 1920 | 12,802 | 1.9% | |
| 1930 | 12,805 | 0.0% | |
| 1940 | 10,831 | −15.4% | |
| 1950 | 9,962 | −8.0% | |
| 1960 | 9,227 | −7.4% | |
| 1970 | 7,657 | −17.0% | |
| 1980 | 6,679 | −12.8% | |
| 1990 | 5,925 | −11.3% | |
| 2000 | 5,815 | −1.9% | |
| 2010 | 5,148 | −11.5% | |
| 2020 | 5,187 | 0.8% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 5,261 | [10] | 1.4% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13] 1990–2000[14] 2010–2020[1] | |||
As of the2020 census, there were 5,187 people, 2,191 households, and 1,398 families residing in the county; thepopulation density was 6.2 inhabitants per square mile (2.4/km2). There were 2,615 housing units.[15]
Of the residents, 22.9% were under the age of 18 and 24.3% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 44.8 years. For every 100 females there were 104.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 104.6 males.[15]
The racial makeup of the county was 95.7% White, 0.2%Black or African American, 0.5%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Asian, 0.7% from some other race, and 2.6% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.3% of the population.[16]
There were 2,191 households, of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 19.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[15]
Among the 2,615 housing units, 16.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.4% were owner-occupied and 22.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.5%.[15]
As of the2010 census, there were 5,148 people, 2,222 households, and 1,418 families in the county. The population density was 6.2 inhabitants per square mile (2.4/km2). There were 2,720 housing units at an average density of 3.3 units per square mile (1.3 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.1% white, 0.5% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.3% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of European ancestry, 42.8% wereGerman, 25.5% wereNorwegian, 10.9% wereDanish, 9.6% wereIrish, 7.2% wereEnglish, and 3.5% wereAmerican.
Of the 2,222 households, 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.2% were non-families, and 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age was 47.1 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $44,948 and the median income for a family was $56,925. Males had a median income of $35,585 versus $28,141 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,660. About 7.0% of families and 9.2% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.
School districts include:[17]
TheOldham-Ramona School District 39-5, in the county,[17] consolidated into ORR in 2023.[18]
Kingsbury County voters have been reliably Republican for decades. In only two national elections since 1932 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024).
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 951 | 46.28% | 175 | 8.52% | 929 | 45.21% |
| 1896 | 950 | 46.82% | 1,051 | 51.80% | 28 | 1.38% |
| 1900 | 1,330 | 58.10% | 868 | 37.92% | 91 | 3.98% |
| 1904 | 1,896 | 77.67% | 344 | 14.09% | 201 | 8.23% |
| 1908 | 1,537 | 60.70% | 799 | 31.56% | 196 | 7.74% |
| 1912 | 0 | 0.00% | 747 | 34.52% | 1,417 | 65.48% |
| 1916 | 1,339 | 51.80% | 1,096 | 42.40% | 150 | 5.80% |
| 1920 | 2,344 | 71.66% | 481 | 14.70% | 446 | 13.63% |
| 1924 | 2,242 | 65.65% | 333 | 9.75% | 840 | 24.60% |
| 1928 | 3,499 | 71.88% | 1,352 | 27.77% | 17 | 0.35% |
| 1932 | 2,135 | 42.42% | 2,808 | 55.79% | 90 | 1.79% |
| 1936 | 2,813 | 55.42% | 2,037 | 40.13% | 226 | 4.45% |
| 1940 | 3,551 | 70.26% | 1,503 | 29.74% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 2,541 | 68.73% | 1,156 | 31.27% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 2,332 | 62.55% | 1,338 | 35.89% | 58 | 1.56% |
| 1952 | 3,703 | 78.25% | 1,029 | 21.75% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 2,933 | 64.92% | 1,585 | 35.08% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 2,887 | 63.26% | 1,677 | 36.74% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 2,126 | 51.46% | 2,005 | 48.54% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 2,300 | 58.42% | 1,491 | 37.87% | 146 | 3.71% |
| 1972 | 2,320 | 58.62% | 1,632 | 41.23% | 6 | 0.15% |
| 1976 | 1,844 | 50.98% | 1,762 | 48.71% | 11 | 0.30% |
| 1980 | 2,376 | 62.41% | 1,132 | 29.73% | 299 | 7.85% |
| 1984 | 2,121 | 62.70% | 1,249 | 36.92% | 13 | 0.38% |
| 1988 | 1,592 | 51.57% | 1,472 | 47.68% | 23 | 0.75% |
| 1992 | 1,113 | 35.41% | 1,267 | 40.31% | 763 | 24.28% |
| 1996 | 1,297 | 43.22% | 1,357 | 45.22% | 347 | 11.56% |
| 2000 | 1,612 | 59.11% | 1,049 | 38.47% | 66 | 2.42% |
| 2004 | 1,804 | 59.85% | 1,163 | 38.59% | 47 | 1.56% |
| 2008 | 1,435 | 51.54% | 1,277 | 45.87% | 72 | 2.59% |
| 2012 | 1,451 | 55.64% | 1,092 | 41.87% | 65 | 2.49% |
| 2016 | 1,680 | 65.86% | 703 | 27.56% | 168 | 6.59% |
| 2020 | 1,904 | 68.51% | 819 | 29.47% | 56 | 2.02% |
| 2024 | 1,989 | 71.01% | 760 | 27.13% | 52 | 1.86% |
Places adjacent to Kingsbury County, South Dakota | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofKingsbury County, South Dakota,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDP | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
