![Missouri River in winter downstream from Yankton, South Dakota](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Missouri_River_in_winter_downstream_from_Yankton%2C_South_Dakota.jpg)
Yankton 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 ...
of
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 23,310.
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 ...
is
Yankton. Yankton County comprises the Yankton, SD
Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
![Lewis & Clark Lake and Dam NE](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Lewis_%26_Clark_Lake_and_Dam_NE.jpg)
Yankton County lies on the south side of South Dakota. Its south boundary line abuts the north boundary line of the state of
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...
(across the
Missouri River). The Missouri flows eastward along the county's south border. 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-southeastward through the west central portion of the county, discharging into the Missouri near the midpoint of the county's south line. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, carved by creeks and drainages, hosting several lakes and ponds. The area is devoted to agriculture.
[''Yankton County SD'' Google Maps (accessed 9 February 2019)]
/ref> The terrain slopes to the south and the east. Its highest point is 1,473' (449m) ASL, on the eastern portion of its north boundary line. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (2.1%) is water.
Lewis & Clark Lake, a popular regional tourist and recreational destination is found in the southwestern part of the county.
Major highways
* U.S. Highway 81
U.S. Route 81 or U.S. Highway 81 (US 81) is a major north–south U.S. highway that extends for in the central United States and is one of the original United States Numbered Highways established in 1926 by the American Association of Stat ...
* South Dakota Highway 46
South Dakota Highway 46 is a state highway in South Dakota, United States, that runs west to east across the southeastern part of the state. It begins at the junction of U.S. Highway 18 and U.S. Highway 281 in Pickstown, and runs due east to n ...
* South Dakota Highway 50
South Dakota Highway 50 (SD 50) is a state route serving south central and southeast South Dakota. The current alignment begins at the junction of South Dakota Highway 34 at "Lee's Corner" east of Fort Thompson, and ends at the Iowa border near ...
* South Dakota Highway 52
South Dakota Highway 52 (SD 52) is a state route that runs just north of the Missouri River, across southeast South Dakota. It begins at a junction with South Dakota Highway 37 north of Springfield, and terminates in Yankton at U.S. Highway 8 ...
* South Dakota Highway 153
South Dakota Highway 153 (SD 153), also known as 435th Avenue, is a State highway#United States, state highway in Yankton County, South Dakota, Yankton County, United States, that runs from South Dakota Highway 52, SD 52 to South Dak ...
* South Dakota Highway 314
South Dakota Highway 314 (SD 314) is a state highway in southwestern Yankton County, South Dakota, United States, that runs from SD 50 to the western city limits of Yankton.
Route description
SD 314 is maintained by SDDOT. In 2 ...
Airports
*Chan Gurney Municipal Airport
Chan Gurney Municipal Airport is a regional airport located three miles north of Yankton, in Yankton County, South Dakota. It is named for John Chandler Gurney, a native of Yankton who was a sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War I and la ...
Adjacent counties
* Turner County - northeast
* Clay County Clay County is the name of 18 counties in the United States. Most are named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator and statesman:
* Clay County, Alabama
* Clay County, Arkansas (named for John Clayton, and originally named Clayton County)
* Clay County, Flor ...
- east
* Cedar County, Nebraska
Cedar County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 8,852. The county seat is Hartington. The county was formed in 1857, and was named for the Cedar tree groves in the area.
In the ...
- southeast
* Knox County, Nebraska
Knox County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 8,391. Its county seat is Center. Knox County was named for Continental and U.S. Army Major General Henry Knox.
In the Nebraska licen ...
- southwest
* Bon Homme County
Bon Homme County ( ; french: Comté de bon homme) is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,003. Its county seat is Tyndall.
History
Bon Homme County was created in 1862. "Bon Homme" was first u ...
- west
* Hutchinson County - northwest
Protected areas
* Chief White Crane State Recreation Area
* Dakota Territorial Capitol Building/Riverside Park
* Diede Waterfowl Production Area
* Edelman Waterfowl Production Area
* Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery
The Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery is a fish hatchery administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, located approximately 4 miles west of Yankton, South Dakota, Yankton, in Yankton County, South Dakota, United States. The hatchery is lo ...
* Hansen Waterfowl Production Area
* Lewis & Clark State Recreation Area
* Missouri National Recreational River
The Missouri National Recreational River is a National Recreational River located on the border between Nebraska and South Dakota. The designation was first applied in 1978 to a 59-mile section of the Missouri River between Gavins Point Dam and P ...
(part)
* Pierson Ranch State Recreation Area
Lakes and Reservoirs
* Beaver Lake
* Guthmiller Lake
* Lake Yankton
Lake Yankton is a lake in Lyon County, in the U.S. state of Minnesota.
Lake Yankton was named for the Yankton Dakota
The Dakota (pronounced , Dakota language: ''Dakȟóta/Dakhóta'') are a Native American tribe and First Nations band gover ...
* Lewis and Clark Lake
Lewis and Clark Lake is a 31,400 acre (130 km²) reservoir located on the border of the U.S. states of Nebraska and South Dakota on the Missouri River. The lake is approximately in length with over of shoreline and a maximum water depth ...
(part)
* Marindahl Lake
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 21,652 people, 8,187 households, and 5,403 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 42 people per square mile (16/km2). There were 8,840 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile (7/km2). The racial makeup of the county is 95.10% White, 1.16% 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 ...
, 1.63% Native American, 0.42% 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 ...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.74% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. 1.82% of the population are 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 ...
or 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.
There were 8,187 households, out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.40% 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, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.00% were non-families. 29.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.03.
The county population contained 25.70% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 101.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,374, and the median income for a family was $43,600. Males had a median income of $29,010 versus $20,686 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 $17,312. About 6.60% of families and 9.60% 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 10.00% of those under age 18 and 9.00% 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 22,438 people, 8,770 households, and 5,476 families in the county. The population density was . There were 9,652 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 92.8% white, 2.5% American Indian, 1.5% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.7% of the population.[ In terms of ancestry,
Of the 8,770 households, 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.6% were non-families, and 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age was 41.3 years.][
The median income for a household in the county was $47,124 and the median income for a family was $62,070. Males had a median income of $37,637 versus $29,488 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,776. About 5.0% of families and 11.2% 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 10.7% of those under age 18 and 13.5% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
* Irene
Irene is a name derived from εἰρήνη (eirēnē), the Greek for "peace".
Irene, and related names, may refer to:
* Irene (given name)
Places
* Irene, Gauteng, South Africa
* Irene, South Dakota, United States
* Irene, Texas, United Stat ...
(partial)
* Yankton (county seat)
Towns
* Gayville
* Lesterville
* Mission Hill
* Utica
* Volin
Vsevolod Mikhailovich Eikhenbaum (russian: Все́волод Миха́йлович Эйхенба́ум; 11 August 188218 September 1945), commonly known by his psuedonym Volin (russian: Во́лин), was a Russian anarchist intellectual. H ...
Census-designated place
Jamesville Colony
Townships
* Gayville
* Jamesville
* Marindahl
* Mayfield
* Mission Hill
* Turkey Valley
* Utica
* Volin
* Walshtown
Unorganized territories
* Southeast Yankton
* West Yankton
Politics and government
Yankton County is Governed by the County Commission, a five-member legislative body elected at-large. The current commissioners are:
* Dan Klimisch, Chairman
* Cheri Loest, Vice Chairman
* Don Kettering
* Joe Healy
* Gary Swensen
The county is located in South Dakota Legislative District 18. As of 2019, Yankton County is represented in the South Dakota Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the South Dakota Legislature. It consists of 35 members, one representing each legislative district; it meets at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre.
Composition
:''92nd Legislature (2019)''
Officers
Li ...
by Senator Craig Kennedy
Professor Craig Kennedy is a character created by Arthur B. Reeve.
Description
Kennedy is a scientist detective at Columbia University similar to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Thorndyke. He uses his knowledge of chemistry and psychoanalysis to solve ...
- (D), and in the South Dakota House of Representatives
The South Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Dakota Legislature. It consists of 70 members, two from each legislative district. Two of the state's 35 legislative districts, Districts 26 and 28, are each subdivided int ...
by State Representatives Jean Hunhoff-(R)
The registered trademark symbol, , is a typographic symbol that provides notice that the preceding word or symbol is a trademark or service mark that has been registered with a national trademark office. A trademark is a symbol, word, or word ...
and Ryan Cwach- (D). The county is located in South Dakota's At-Large Congressional District
South Dakota's at-large congressional district is the sole congressional district for the state of South Dakota. Based on area, it is the fourth largest congressional district in the nation.
The district is currently represented by Dusty Johnson ...
, currently held by Republican Dusty Johnson
Dustin M. Johnson (born September 30, 1976) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he served as South Dakota Public Utilities ...
.
In national elections, Yankton County voters have been reliably Republican for several decades. In no national election since 1964 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.
The Yankton County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement in the county and operates the 120-bed county jail. the current Sheriff
A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...
is James "Jim" C. Vlahakis.
Recreation and Tourism
Lewis and Clark Lake
Lewis and Clark Lake is a 31,400 acre (130 km²) reservoir located on the border of the U.S. states of Nebraska and South Dakota on the Missouri River. The lake is approximately in length with over of shoreline and a maximum water depth ...
is located in southwestern Yankton County, four miles (6 km) west of Yankton. The Lewis & Clark Lake area is a popular regional tourist and recreation destination with parks, trails, campgrounds, boat ramps, and marinas. Gavins Point Dam
Gavins Point Dam is a long embankment rolled-earth and chalk-fill dam which spans the Missouri River and impounds Lewis and Clark Lake. The dam joins Cedar County, Nebraska with Yankton County, South Dakota a distance of 811.1 river miles (1,305 ...
, which creates Lewis & Clark Lake, is a popular fishing destination on the Missouri River. The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks
The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks (GFP) is the U.S. State of South Dakota's State Agency charged with the management of the state's public recreational and outdoor resources. The GFP manages the 13 State Parks and 43 State R ...
operates the Lewis & Clark State Recreation Area on the northern shore of the lake.
Below Gavins Point Dam, the Missouri National Recreational River
The Missouri National Recreational River is a National Recreational River located on the border between Nebraska and South Dakota. The designation was first applied in 1978 to a 59-mile section of the Missouri River between Gavins Point Dam and P ...
is home to one of the few non-channelized portions of the "Big Muddy", and is popular with birdwatchers, hunters, canoers, and kayakers.
See also
*
References
External links
Yankton County (Official website)
U.S. Census Data - Yankton County
*
{{Coord, 43.01, -97.39, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-SD_source:UScensus1990
South Dakota placenames of Native American origin
South Dakota counties on the Missouri River
1862 establishments in Dakota Territory
Populated places established in 1862