Hand County
County
Hand County and its towns and villages in 1892
Hand County and its towns and villages in 1892
Map of South Dakota highlighting Hand 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: 44°33′N 99°00′W / 44.55°N 99.00°W / 44.55; -99.00
Country United States
State South Dakota
Founded1873 (created)
1882 (redrawn)
1882 (organized)
Named forGeorge A. Hand
SeatMiller
Largest cityMiller
Area
 • Total1,440 sq mi (3,700 km2)
 • Land1,437 sq mi (3,720 km2)
 • Water3.6 sq mi (9 km2)  0.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total3,145
 • Estimate 
(2022)
3,140 Decrease
 • Density2.2/sq mi (0.84/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districtAt-large
Websitehand.sdcounties.org

Hand County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,145.[1] Its county seat is Miller.[2]

History

Hand County was named for George A. Hand, territorial secretary.[3] It was created in 1873 by the Dakota territorial legislature. The boundaries were finalized in 1882, the year it was organized.[4]

Geography

The terrain of Hand County consists of rolling hills, dotted with infrequent ponds and small lakes. Most of the area is devoted to agriculture.[5] The terrain slopes to the east and northeast; its highest point is on the lower part of the county's west boundary line, at 2,080 ft (630 m) ASL.[6] The county contains a total area of 1,440 square miles (3,700 km2), of which 1,437 square miles (3,720 km2) is land and 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2) (0.2%) is water.[7]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

  • Collins State Game Production Area
  • Dakota State Game Production Area
  • East Pearl State Game Production Area
  • Hawkins State Game Production Area
  • Lake Jones State Game Production Area
  • Lake Louise State Game Production Area
  • Lake Louise State Recreation Area
  • Lechtenberg State Game Production Area
  • Reinhardt State Game Production Area
  • Rosehill State Game Production Area
  • Spring Lake State Game Production Area
  • West Pearl State Game Production Area[5]

Lakes

  • Costigan Slough Lake
  • Jones Lake
  • Lake Louise
  • Matter Lake
  • Spring Lake
  • Wall Lake[5]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880153—
18906,3464,047.7%
19004,525−28.7%
19107,87073.9%
19208,77811.5%
19309,4858.1%
19407,166−24.4%
19507,149−0.2%
19606,712−6.1%
19705,883−12.4%
19804,948−15.9%
19904,272−13.7%
20003,741−12.4%
20103,431−8.3%
20203,145−8.3%
2022 (est.)3,140[8]−0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11]
1990-2000[12] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 3,145 people.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 3,431 people, 1,494 households, and 972 families residing in the county. The population density was 2.4 inhabitants per square mile (0.93/km2). There were 1,815 housing units at an average density of 1.3 units per square mile (0.50 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.4% white, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.2% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 57.3% were German, 15.3% were Irish, 9.0% were Norwegian, 8.1% were English, 6.1% were Dutch, and 3.4% were American.

Of the 1,494 households, 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.9% were non-families, and 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age was 48.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $45,895 and the median income for a family was $52,407. Males had a median income of $40,725 versus $24,844 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,238. About 11.4% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 16.5% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Source:[5]

Townships

  • Alden
  • Alpha
  • Bates
  • Burdette
  • Campbell
  • Carlton
  • Cedar
  • Como
  • Florence
  • Gilbert
  • Glendale
  • Grand
  • Greenleaf
  • Hiland
  • Holden
  • Hulbert
  • Linn
  • Logan
  • Midland
  • Miller
  • Mondamin
  • Ohio
  • Ontario
  • Park
  • Pearl
  • Plato
  • Pleasant Valley
  • Ree Heights
  • Riverside
  • Rockdale
  • Rose Hill
  • St. Lawrence
  • Spring Hill
  • Spring Lake
  • Wheaton
  • York

Unorganized territory

The county contains one area of unorganized territory: Northwest Hand.

Politics

Hand County voters have voted Republican for many decades. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate. As shown in the table below, Hand County has voted the same way as South Dakota for more than a century, last voting for a candidate who lost South Dakota in 1916, when Hand County voted Democratic but South Dakota went Republican.

United States presidential election results for Hand County, South Dakota[13]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 1,433 78.05% 373 20.32% 30 1.63%
2016 1,391 76.51% 334 18.37% 93 5.12%
2012 1,242 67.21% 575 31.11% 31 1.68%
2008 1,247 62.01% 718 35.70% 46 2.29%
2004 1,482 67.76% 668 30.54% 37 1.69%
2000 1,419 69.87% 565 27.82% 47 2.31%
1996 1,187 52.34% 803 35.41% 278 12.26%
1992 1,130 44.38% 785 30.83% 631 24.78%
1988 1,461 56.67% 1,101 42.71% 16 0.62%
1984 2,030 70.34% 846 29.31% 10 0.35%
1980 2,066 67.38% 803 26.19% 197 6.43%
1976 1,510 50.43% 1,477 49.33% 7 0.23%
1972 1,806 57.90% 1,307 41.90% 6 0.19%
1968 1,650 54.78% 1,136 37.72% 226 7.50%
1964 1,466 48.40% 1,563 51.60% 0 0.00%
1960 1,872 57.27% 1,397 42.73% 0 0.00%
1956 1,804 55.39% 1,453 44.61% 0 0.00%
1952 2,262 70.71% 937 29.29% 0 0.00%
1948 1,402 50.47% 1,367 49.21% 9 0.32%
1944 1,558 57.62% 1,146 42.38% 0 0.00%
1940 2,002 55.46% 1,608 44.54% 0 0.00%
1936 1,289 39.82% 1,721 53.17% 227 7.01%
1932 1,394 33.96% 2,658 64.75% 53 1.29%
1928 2,430 63.26% 1,397 36.37% 14 0.36%
1924 1,727 54.00% 690 21.58% 781 24.42%
1920 1,511 61.08% 655 26.48% 308 12.45%
1916 801 44.95% 905 50.79% 76 4.26%
1912 0 0.00% 826 48.73% 869 51.27%
1908 851 51.58% 655 39.70% 144 8.73%
1904 943 67.50% 170 12.17% 284 20.33%
1900 592 49.05% 594 49.21% 21 1.74%
1896 451 43.96% 567 55.26% 8 0.78%
1892 526 44.46% 70 5.92% 587 49.62%

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 148.
  4. ↑ "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". Dakota Territory Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2006. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Hand County SD Google Maps (accessed February 3, 2019)
  6. ↑ ""Find an Altitude" Google Maps (accessed February 3, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  7. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  9. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  11. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  13. ↑ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
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