MarketKingsbury County, South Dakota
Company Profile

Kingsbury County, South Dakota

Kingsbury County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,187. Its county seat is De Smet. The county was created in 1873, and was organized in 1880. It was named for brothers George W. and T. A. Kingsbury, descendants of the colonial English Kingsbury family in Boston, Massachusetts. They were prominently involved in the affairs of Dakota Territory and served as elected members of several Territorial Legislatures.

History
John C. Fremont surveyed the area in 1838, naming lakes Preston and Albert. The 1851 Treaty of Mendota with the Santee Sioux and the 1858 Yankton Treaty ceded the region for American settlement. American presence was minimal until the Dakota Boom, with the notable exception of Jacob Hanson's settlement at Lake Albert in 1873. ==Geography==
Geography
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. The terrain generally slopes to the southwest, and the highest point is near the midpoint of the east boundary line, at ASL. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (6.2%) is water. Lakes Source: • Cherry LakeMud LakeLake AlbertLake BadgerLake Henry • Lake Iroquois • Lake PrestonLake ThistedLake ThompsonLake Whitewood • Osceola Lake • Plum Lake • Spring Lake • Spirit Lake • Twin Lakes (partial) Major highwaysU.S. Highway 14U.S. Highway 81South Dakota Highway 25 Adjacent countiesHamlin County – northeast • Brookings County – east • Lake County – southeast • Miner County – south • Sanborn County – southwest • Beadle County – west • Clark County – northwest Protected areas • Arnold State Public Shooting Area ==Demographics==
Demographics
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 the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. 2020 census As of the 2020 census, there were 5,187 people, 2,191 households, and 1,398 families residing in the county; the population density was . There were 2,615 housing units. 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. 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. 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%. 2010 census As of the 2010 census, there were 5,148 people, 2,222 households, and 1,418 families in the county. The population density was . There were 2,720 housing units at an average density of . 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% were German, 25.5% were Norwegian, 10.9% were Danish, 9.6% were Irish, 7.2% were English, and 3.5% were American. 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 the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over. ==Communities==
Communities
CitiesDe Smet (county seat) • Arlington (partial) • Iroquois (partial) • Lake PrestonOldham TownsBadgerBancroftErwinHetland Census-designated placeSpring Lake Colony Unincorporated communitiesEsmondOsceola Ghost townManchester TownshipsBadgerBakerDe SmetDenverEsmondHartlandIroquoisLe SueurManchesterMathewsSpirit LakeSpring LakeWhitewood ==Education==
Notable people
Harvey Dunn - painter and professor of Fine Arts • Eugene Peter Knudsen - Minnesota state legislator and farmer • Theodore Schultz - Nobel prize winning economist • Laura Ingalls Wilder - author ==Politics==
Politics
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). ==See also==
tickerdossier.comtickerdossier.substack.com