Edmunds County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. At the 2020 census, the population was 3,986. Its county seat is Ipswich. The county was established in 1873 and organized in 1883. It is named for Newton Edmunds, the second Governor of Dakota Territory.

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

Geography

The terrain of Edmunds County consists of rolling hills, mostly dedicated to agriculture. The terrain's highest point is on the west portion of the north boundary line, at ASL. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (2.2%) is water.

Major highways

  • 20px U.S. Highway 12
  • 20px South Dakota Highway 45
  • 20px South Dakota Highway 47
  • 23px South Dakota Highway 247
  • 23px South Dakota Highway 253

Adjacent counties

  • McPherson County – north
  • Brown County – east
  • Faulk County – south
  • Potter County – southwest
  • Walworth County – west

Protected areas

  • Bowdle-Hosmer State Game Production Area
  • Heilman State Game Production Area
  • Hosmer State Game Production Area
  • Light State Game Production Area
  • Losee State Game Production Area
  • Mina Lake State Recreation Area
  • Mina State Game Production Area
  • North Scatterwood State Game Production Area
  • Rosette State Game Production Area
  • Schaber State Game Production Area
  • Shaner State Game Production Area
  • Steigelmier State Game Production Area

Lakes

  • Alkali Lake
  • Bowdle-Hosmer Lake
  • Grass Lake
  • Lake Parmley
  • North Scatterwood Lake (partial)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 3,986 and 1,052 families residing in the county. Of the residents, 22.9% were under the age of 18 and 23.0% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 44.7 years. For every 100 females there were 104.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 104.3 males.

The population density was . There were 1,940 housing units, of which 20.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 78.3% were owner-occupied and 21.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 13.2%.

  • Gretna
  • Loyalton
  • Powell

Townships

  • Adrian
  • Belle
  • Bowdle
  • Bryant
  • Clear Lake
  • Cleveland
  • Cloyd
  • Cordlandt
  • Cottonwood Lake
  • Fountain
  • Glen
  • Glover
  • Harmony
  • Hillside
  • Hosmer
  • Hudson
  • Huntley
  • Ipswich
  • Kent
  • Liberty
  • Madison
  • Modena
  • Montpelier
  • North Bryant
  • Odessa
  • Pembrook
  • Powell
  • Richland
  • Rosette
  • Sangamon
  • Union
  • Vermont

Politics

Edmunds County voters have long been reliably Republican. Since 1936, in only three elections has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate. Although it was one of only 129 counties nationwide to back George McGovern in his landslide 1972 defeat, it has voted for fewer Democratic presidential nominees (six) than any other county McGovern carried, with Jimmy Carter in 1976 the last Democrat to carry the county and Kamala Harris not passing twenty percent in 2024.

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Education

School districts include:

  • Bowdle School District 22-1
  • Faulkton School District 24-4
  • Edmunds Central School District 22-5
  • Hoven School District 53-2
  • Ipswich School District 22-6
  • Northwestern Area School District 56-7
  • Warner School District 06-5

See also

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

References