Grant County, South Dakota

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Grant County

| state = South Dakota

| ex image = Grant County Courthouse NRHP 92001858 Grant County, SD.jpg

| ex image cap = County Courthouse

| seal =

| founded = 1873 (created)
January 8, 1878 (organized)

| seat wl = Milbank

| largest city wl = Milbank

| area_total_sq_mi = 688

| area_land_sq_mi = 681

| area_water_sq_mi = 6.1

| area percentage = 0.9

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 7556

| pop_est_as_of = 2024

| population_est = 7618 {{increase}}

| density_sq_mi = auto

| time zone = Central

| web = http://grantcounty.sd.gov/

| named for = Ulysses S. Grant

| district = At-large

}}

Grant County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,556.{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/grantcountysouthdakota/PST045224 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=March 21, 2024}} The county seat is Milbank.{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|archive-date=May 31, 2011}} The county was founded in 1873 and organized in 1878.{{cite web|url=http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/DAKs_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|title=Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies|website=Dakota Territory Atlas of Historical County Boundaries|publisher=The Newberry Library|date=2006|access-date=March 29, 2015|archive-date=April 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402202102/http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/DAKs_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|url-status=dead}} It is named for Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States.{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ|title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States|publisher=Govt. Print. Off.|author=Gannett, Henry|year=1905|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n140 141]}}

Geography

File:Grant Co SD Pie Chart No Text Version.pdf

Grant County lies on the east side of South Dakota. Its east boundary line abuts the west boundary line of the state of Minnesota. The terrain consists of rolling hills, sloping to the northeast. The area is largely devoted to agriculture.[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Grant+County,+SD/@45.1652718,-96.9618508,51918m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x52cceb728a76f339:0xa6be759289f04c49!8m2!3d45.1752383!4d-96.7507035 Grant County SD Google Maps (accessed February 3, 2019)] The highest point of the terrain is on the county's south boundary line, towards its southwest corner, at {{convert|2,014|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.{{Cite web |url=https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |title="Find an Altitude" Google Maps (accessed February 3, 2019) |access-date=February 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521043409/https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |archive-date=May 21, 2019 |url-status=dead}}

Grant County has a total area of {{convert|688|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|681|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|6.1|sqmi}} (0.9%) is water.{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_46.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 24, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}

The lowest point in the state of South Dakota is located on Big Stone Lake at Big Stone City in Grant County, adjacent to Ortonville, Minnesota, where the lake flows into the Minnesota River.

=Major highways=

=Adjacent counties=

=Protected areas=

Mazeppa State Public Shooting Area[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mazeppa+State+Public+Shooting+Area,+Twin+Brooks,+SD+57269/@45.1993927,-96.9643732,16z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x52cceb728a76f339:0xa6be759289f04c49!2sGrant+County,+SD!3b1!8m2!3d45.1752383!4d-96.7507035!3m4!1s0x52cceef5e3db5593:0x2d8b09733b5ae3c3!8m2!3d45.1968638!4d-96.9581669 Mazeppa State Public Shooting Area, Twin Brooks SD Google Maps (accessed February 3, 2019)]
Mud Lake State Public Shooting Area[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mud+Lake+State+Public+Shooting+Area,+Revillo,+SD+57259/@45.0092971,-96.6789603,16z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x52cceb728a76f339:0xa6be759289f04c49!2sGrant+County,+SD!3b1!8m2!3d45.1752383!4d-96.7507035!3m4!1s0x52ccbba238c541ad:0xe190ff94a088b09c!8m2!3d45.0083775!4d-96.6758559 Mud Lake State Public Shooting Area, Revillo SD Google Maps (accessed February 3, 2019)]

=Lakes=

Source:

Big Stone Lake (adjacent)
Crooked Lake
LaBolt Lake
Lake Albert
Lake Farley
Lonesome Lake (partial)
Mud Lake
Myers Lake
Summit Lake
Twin Lakes

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1880= 3010

|1890= 6814

|1900= 9103

|1910= 10303

|1920= 10880

|1930= 10729

|1940= 10552

|1950= 10233

|1960= 9913

|1970= 9005

|1980= 9013

|1990= 8372

|2000= 7847

|2010= 7356

|2020= 7556

|estyear=2024

|estimate=7618

|estref={{cite web|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |access-date=March 15, 2025}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=July 20, 2014}}
1790–1960{{cite web|title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |publisher=University of Virginia Library |url-status=live |date=2007 |access-date=July 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091212224028/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/ |archive-date=December 12, 2009}} 1900–1990{{cite web|last=Forstall |first=Richard L. |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/sd190090.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url-status=live |date=March 27, 1995 |access-date=July 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990219135447/http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/sd190090.txt |archive-date=February 19, 1999}}
1990–2000{{cite web|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=live |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=July 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010}} 2010–2020

}}

=2020 census=

As of the 2020 census, there were 7,556 people, 3,103 households, and 2,014 families residing in the county.{{Cite web|title=US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Grant%20County,%20South%20Dakota%20p16&y=2020 |access-date=March 21, 2024 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} The population density was {{convert|11.1|PD/sqmi}}. There were 3,426 housing units.

=2010 census=

As of the 2010 census, there were 7,356 people, 3,089 households, and 2,076 families in the county. The population density was {{convert|10.8|PD/sqmi}}. There were 3,526 housing units at an average density of {{convert|5.2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 97.1% white, 0.5% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% black or African American, 1.1% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 49.9% were German, 16.8% were Norwegian, 8.9% were Irish, 6.7% were Swedish, 5.6% were English, and 5.2% were American.

Of the 3,089 households, 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.8% were non-families, and 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age was 45.1 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,625 and the median income for a family was $56,250. Males had a median income of $36,204 versus $25,567 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,887. About 7.0% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 17.8% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

=Cities=

Big Stone City
Milbank (county seat)

=Towns=

=Unincorporated communities=

Troy

=Townships=

Adams
Alban
Big Stone
Blooming Valley
Farmington
Georgia
Grant Center
Kilborn
Lura
Madison
Mazeppa
Melrose
Osceola
Stockholm
Troy
Twin Brooks
Vernon

Education

School districts include:{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st46_sd/schooldistrict_maps/c46051_grant/DC20SD_C46051.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Grant County, SD|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 10, 2024}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st46_sd/schooldistrict_maps/c46051_grant/DC20SD_C46051_SD2MS.txt Text list]

Politics

Grant County voters have been reliably Republican for decades. In only three national elections since 1948 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.

{{PresHead|place=Grant County, South Dakota|source={{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=April 15, 2018}}}}