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Brown County, South Dakota

Coordinates: 45°36′N 98°21′W / 45.60°N 98.35°W / 45.60; -98.35
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Brown County
County
Brown County Courthouse in fall
Brown County Courthouse in fall
Flag of Brown County
Flag
Map of South Dakota highlighting Brown County
Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota
Map of the United States highlighting South Dakota
South Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45°35′21.314″N 98°21′7.83″W / 45.58925389°N 98.3521750°W / 45.58925389; -98.3521750
Country United States
State South Dakota
FoundedJuly 6, 1881[1]
Named afterAlfred Brown
SeatAberdeen
Largest cityAberdeen
Area
 • Total
1,730.951 sq mi (4,483.14 km2)
 • Land1,713.030 sq mi (4,436.73 km2)
 • Water17.921 sq mi (46.42 km2)  1.0%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
38,301
 • Estimate 
(2024)
37,495 Decrease
 • Density22.027/sq mi (8.505/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districtAt-large
Websitebrown.sd.us

Brown County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,301,[2] making it the fourth most populous county in South Dakota, and was estimated to be 37,495 in 2024.[3] Its county seat is Aberdeen.[4] The county is named for Alfred Brown, of Hutchinson County, South Dakota, a Dakota Territory legislator in 1879.[1][5]

Brown County is part of the Aberdeen, SD Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

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Brown County lies on the north side of South Dakota. Its north boundary line abuts the south boundary line of the state of North Dakota. The James River flows south-southwest through the county; its entry point into neighboring Spink County marks Brown County's lowest elevation: 1,266 ft (386 m) ASL.[6] The terrain of Brown County consists of rolling terrain, sloping to the south and east, largely devoted to agriculture.[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,730.951 square miles (4,483.14 km2), of which 1,713.030 square miles (4,436.73 km2) is land and 17.921 square miles (46.42 km2) (1.0%) is water.[8] It is the 13th largest county in South Dakota by total area.

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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Protected areas

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  • Bodi State Game Production Area (part)
  • Casanova State Game Production Area
  • Columbia State Game Production Area
  • Cutler State Game Production Area
  • Diagonal Trees State Game Production Area
  • Elm Creek State Game Production Area (part)
  • Erickson State Game Production Area
  • Hansen Preserve State Game Production Area
  • Hart Quarter State Game Production Area
  • Hecla State Game Production Area
  • Jilek-Dahme State Game Production Area
  • Pigors Lake State Game Production Area
  • Putney Slough State Game Production Area
  • Putney State Game Production Area
  • Renziehausen Slough State Game Bird Refuge
  • Renziehausen State Game Production Area (part)
  • Richmond Dam State Game Production Area
  • Richmond Lake State Recreation Area
  • Richmond State Lakeside Use Area
  • Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge
  • Zabrasha State Game Production Area

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880353—
189016,8554,674.8%
190015,286−9.3%
191025,86769.2%
192029,50914.1%
193031,4586.6%
194029,676−5.7%
195032,6179.9%
196034,1064.6%
197036,9208.3%
198036,9620.1%
199035,580−3.7%
200035,460−0.3%
201036,5313.0%
202038,3014.8%
2024 (est.)37,495[9]−2.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790–1960[11] 1900–1990[12]
1990–2000[13] 2010–2020[3]

As of the third quarter of 2024, the median home value in Brown County was $221,040.[14]

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 16,364 estimated households in Brown County with an average of 2.26 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $70,239. Approximately 10.0% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Brown County has an estimated 70.0% employment rate, with 33.2% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 93.7% holding a high school diploma.[3]

The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (93.8%), Spanish (2.7%), Indo-European (1.0%), Asian and Pacific Islander (2.1%), and Other (0.5%).

The median age in the county was 37.8 years.

Brown County, South Dakota – racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic) Pop. 1980[15] Pop. 1990[16] Pop. 2000[17] Pop. 2010[18] Pop. 2020[19]
White alone (NH) 35,852
(97.00%)		 34,307
(96.42%)		 33,715
(95.08%)		 33,825
(92.59%)		 32,705
(85.39%)
Black or African American alone (NH) 23
(0.06%)		 44
(0.12%)		 97
(0.27%)		 187
(0.51%)		 535
(1.40%)
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 826
(2.23%)		 976
(2.74%)		 954
(2.69%)		 1,078
(2.95%)		 1,103
(2.88%)
Asian alone (NH) 117
(0.32%)		 139
(0.39%)		 142
(0.40%)		 353
(0.97%)		 918
(2.40%)
Pacific Islander alone (NH) — — 26
(0.07%)		 42
(0.11%)		 44
(0.11%)
Other race alone (NH) 23
(0.06%)		 3
(0.01%)		 8
(0.02%)		 17
(0.05%)		 96
(0.25%)
Mixed race or multiracial (NH) — — 281
(0.79%)		 533
(1.46%)		 1,241
(3.24%)
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 121
(0.33%)		 111
(0.31%)		 237
(0.67%)		 496
(1.36%)		 1,659
(4.33%)
Total 36,962
(100.00%)		 35,580
(100.00%)		 35,460
(100.00%)		 36,531
(100.00%)		 38,301
(100.00%)

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, there were 38,301 people, 16,130 households, and 9,595 families residing in the county.[20] The population density was 22.4 inhabitants per square mile (8.6/km2). There were 17,885 housing units at an average density of 10.4 per square mile (4.0/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 86.41% White, 1.48% African American, 3.13% Native American, 2.41% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 1.83% from some other races and 4.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 4.33% of the population.[21]

2010 census

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As of the 2010 census, there were 36,531 people, 15,489 households, and 9,374 families in the county. The population density was 21.3 inhabitants per square mile (8.2/km2). There were 16,706 housing units at an average density of 9.8 per square mile (3.8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.23% White, 0.53% African American, 3.02% Native American, 0.97% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from some other races and 1.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.36% of the population.

Of the 15,489 households, 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 39.5% were non-families, and 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age was 38.6 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $45,615 and the median income for a family was $58,683. Males had a median income of $37,997 versus $28,419 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,878. About 5.6% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 15.4% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

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Brown County was long a Democratic stronghold, home to notable Democrats including South Dakota Governor Ralph Herseth, US Senate majority leader Tom Daschle and Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin. It generally voted Democratic except in Republican landslides (though often relatively narrowly margins) in presidential elections from 1932 until 1996. Since then, Brown County has trended Republican, particularly at the local level, although the county was carried by Barack Obama in 2008.

United States presidential election results for Brown County, South Dakota[22]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 10,645 62.46% 6,075 35.65% 323 1.90%
2020 10,580 60.30% 6,538 37.26% 429 2.44%
2016 9,613 59.66% 5,452 33.83% 1,049 6.51%
2012 8,321 51.79% 7,250 45.12% 497 3.09%
2008 8,067 46.29% 9,041 51.88% 318 1.82%
2004 10,386 55.84% 7,943 42.71% 270 1.45%
2000 9,060 54.72% 7,173 43.33% 323 1.95%
1996 6,801 41.35% 7,913 48.11% 1,733 10.54%
1992 6,665 36.93% 7,521 41.67% 3,861 21.39%
1988 8,537 49.34% 8,673 50.13% 92 0.53%
1984 10,541 60.35% 6,852 39.23% 72 0.41%
1980 10,550 58.61% 6,050 33.61% 1,399 7.77%
1976 7,609 45.75% 8,888 53.44% 136 0.82%
1972 8,134 49.44% 8,216 49.94% 101 0.61%
1968 6,685 45.95% 7,302 50.20% 560 3.85%
1964 5,524 37.76% 9,107 62.24% 0 0.00%
1960 8,037 50.45% 7,893 49.55% 0 0.00%
1956 8,193 53.28% 7,184 46.72% 0 0.00%
1952 9,581 60.94% 6,140 39.06% 0 0.00%
1948 5,632 43.42% 7,148 55.10% 192 1.48%
1944 5,611 46.90% 6,352 53.10% 0 0.00%
1940 6,598 45.05% 8,048 54.95% 0 0.00%
1936 4,505 32.19% 9,177 65.58% 311 2.22%
1932 4,639 34.11% 8,669 63.74% 293 2.15%
1928 7,266 58.03% 5,065 40.45% 191 1.53%
1924 2,740 60.67% 361 7.99% 1,415 31.33%
1920 5,581 56.54% 1,364 13.82% 2,926 29.64%
1916 2,659 45.19% 2,676 45.48% 549 9.33%
1912 0 0.00% 2,488 50.69% 2,420 49.31%
1908 2,646 55.93% 1,772 37.46% 313 6.62%
1904 2,737 66.32% 988 23.94% 402 9.74%
1900 2,197 54.42% 1,722 42.66% 118 2.92%
1896 1,618 46.15% 1,867 53.25% 21 0.60%
1892 1,446 45.33% 279 8.75% 1,465 45.92%

Communities

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Cities

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Towns

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Census-designated places

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Unincorporated communities

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Townships

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  • Aberdeen
  • Allison
  • Bates
  • Bath
  • Barnard
  • Cambria
  • Carlisle
  • Claremont
  • Columbia
  • East Hanson
  • East Rondell
  • Franklyn
  • Frederick
  • Garden Prairie
  • Garland
  • Gem
  • Greenfield
  • Groton
  • Hecla
  • Henry
  • Highland
  • Lansing
  • Liberty
  • Lincoln
  • Mercier
  • New Hope
  • North Detroit
  • Oneota
  • Ordway
  • Osceola
  • Palmyra
  • Portage
  • Prairiewood
  • Putney
  • Ravinia
  • Richland
  • Riverside
  • Savo
  • Shelby
  • South Detroit
  • Warner
  • West Hanson
  • West
  • Westport

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Legislative Manual, South Dakota, 2005, p. 596
  2. ^ "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Brown County, South Dakota". www.census.gov. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  4. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  5. ^ History of the Origin of the Place Names in Nine Northwestern States. 1908. p. 12.
  6. ^ ""Find an Altitude" Google Maps (accessed January 30, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  7. ^ Brown County SD Google Maps (accessed January 30, 2019)
  8. ^ "2024 County Gazetteer Files – South Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  9. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  10. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  11. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ "County Median Home Price". National Association of Realtors. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  15. ^ "Brown County, South Dakota — Population by Race". CensusScope. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  16. ^ "Brown County, South Dakota — Population by Race". CensusScope. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  17. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Brown County, South Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  18. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Brown County, South Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  19. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Brown County, South Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  20. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  21. ^ "How many people live in Brown County, South Dakota". USA Today. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  22. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  23. ^ James SD Google Maps (accessed January 30, 2019)
  24. ^ Nahon SD Google Maps (accessed January 30, 2019)
  25. ^ Richmond SD Google Maps (accessed January 30, 2019)
  26. ^ Richmond Heights SD Google Maps (accessed January 30, 2019)
  27. ^ Tacoma Park SD Google Maps (accessed January 30, 2019)
  28. ^ Winship SD Google Maps (accessed January 30, 2019)

45°36′N 98°21′W / 45.60°N 98.35°W / 45.60; -98.35

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