Brown County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

. As of the

2020 United States Census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, the population was 38,301, making it the fourth-most populous county in South Dakota. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

. The county is named for Alfred Brown, of

Hutchinson County, South Dakota Hutchinson County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 7,427. Its county seat is Olivet. The county was created in 1862 and organized in 1871; it was named for John Hutchinson, ...

, a

Dakota Territory The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of No ...

legislator A legislator (also known as a deputy or lawmaker) is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are often elected by the people of the state. Legislatures may be supra-national (for ex ...

in 1879. Brown County is part of the Aberdeen, SD Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

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 North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...

. The

James River The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 to Chesapea ...

flows south-southwest through the county; its entry point into neighboring Spink County marks Brown County's lowest elevation: 1,266' (386m) ASL. The terrain of Brown County consists of rolling terrain, sloping to the south and east, largely devoted to agriculture. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.0%) is water.

Major highways

* U.S. Highway 12 * U.S. Highway 281 * South Dakota Highway 10 *

South Dakota Highway 37 } South Dakota Highway 37 (SD 37) is a state route that runs across eastern South Dakota. It begins at the Nebraska border northeast of Niobrara, Nebraska, as a continuation of Nebraska Highway 14. It runs to the North Dakota border north of Hec ...

Adjacent counties

Dickey County, North Dakota Dickey County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,999. Its county seat is Ellendale. History The Dakota Territory legislature created Dickey County on March 5, 1881, with territories ann ...

- north *

Sargent County, North Dakota Sargent County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. Its county seat is Forman, and its most populous city is Gwinner. The county is named in honor of Homer E. Sargent, a 19th-century general manager of the Northern Pacific Railroad C ...

- northeast * Marshall County - east * Day County - southeast * Spink County - south * Faulk County - southwest * Edmunds County - southwest * McPherson County - northwest

Protected areas

* 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 Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of South Dakota and is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Created in 1935, it is a wetlands of international importance and a Globally Import ...

* Zabrasha State Game Production Area

Demographics

2000 census

As of the

2000 United States Census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 ce ...

, there were 35,460 people, 14,638 households, and 9,324 families in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 21 people per square mile (8/km²). There were 15,861 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.47%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.28%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 2.72% Native American, 0.40%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.09%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 0.18% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.86% from two or more races. 0.67% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. 55.0% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

and 12.7% of

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

ancestry. There were 14,638 households, out of which 29.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.80% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.30% were non-families. 30.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.91. The county population contained 23.60% under the age of 18, 11.60% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 16.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.50 males. The median income for a household in the county was $35,017, and the median income for a family was $44,788. Males had a median income of $29,592 versus $20,445 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $18,464. About 7.00% of families and 9.90% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 10.30% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...

, there were 36,531 people, 15,489 households, and 9,374 families in the county. The population density was . There were 16,706 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 93.2% white, 3.0% American Indian, 1.0% Asian, 0.5% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.4% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 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

, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 15.4% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Brown County was long a Democratic stronghold, home to notable Democrats including South Dakota Governor

Ralph Herseth Ralph Edmund Herseth (July 2, 1909 – January 24, 1969) was the 21st Governor of South Dakota from January 6, 1959 to January 3, 1961. He was a Democrat and was the patriarch of the prominent Herseth family of South Dakota. Early life and edu ...

, US Senate majority leader Tom Daschle and Congresswoman

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin Stephanie Marie Herseth Sandlin (born December 3, 1970) is an American attorney, university administrator, and politician from the Democratic Party. She served in the United States House of Representatives for from 2004 until 2011. Sandlin was ...

. 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 Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

in 2008.

Communities

Cities

(county seat) * Columbia * Groton

Towns

* Claremont *

Frederick Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Nobility Anhalt-Harzgerode *Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) Austria * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198 * Frederick ...

* Hecla * Stratford *

Verdon Verdon may refer to: People * Verdon (surname) Places France * Verdon, Dordogne, in the Dordogne ''département'' * Verdon, Marne, in the Marne ''département'' * Vinon-sur-Verdon, an old French town in the département of Var, Provence-Alpes- ...

Warner Warner can refer to: People * Warner (writer) * Warner (given name) * Warner (surname) Fictional characters * Yakko, Wakko, and Dot Warner, stars of the animated television series ''Animaniacs'' * Aaron Warner, a character in ''Shatter Me s ...

* Westport

Census-designated places

* Bath * Bath Corner *

Ferney Ferney-Voltaire () is a Communes of France, commune in the Ain Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region of eastern France. It lies between the Jura Mountains and the France–Switzerland border, Sw ...

* Hutterville Colony *

Mansfield Mansfield is a market town and the administrative centre of Mansfield District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest town in the wider Mansfield Urban Area (followed by Sutton-in-Ashfield). It gained the Royal Charter of a market tow ...

(partial) * Prairiewood Village

Unincorporated communities

Barnard Barnard is a version of the surname Bernard, which is a French and West Germanic masculine given name and surname. The surname means as tough as a bear, Bar(Bear)+nard/hard(hardy/tough) __NOTOC__ People Some of the people bearing the surname Ba ...

Houghton Houghton may refer to: Places Australia * Houghton, South Australia, a town near Adelaide * Houghton Highway, the longest bridge in Australia, between Redcliffe and Brisbane in Queensland * Houghton Island (Queensland) Canada * Houghton Townshi ...

* Huffton * James * Nahon * Ordway *

Putney Putney () is a district of southwest London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. History Putney is an ancient paris ...

* Richmond * Richmond Heights * Rudolph * Tacoma Park * Winship''Winship SD'' Google Maps (accessed January 30, 2019)
/ref>

Townships

* 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 Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom. In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...

* 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

External links

Brown County, SD government website

References

{{authority control 1881 establishments in Dakota Territory Populated places established in 1881 Aberdeen, South Dakota micropolitan area