Walworth County, South Dakota

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Walworth County

| state = South Dakota

| ex image = Walworth County Court House (1911), Selby, South Dakota (29360818481).jpg

| ex image cap = Walworth County Courthouse, Selby

| seal =

| founded year = 1873 (created)
1883 (organized)

| seat wl = Selby

| largest city wl = Mobridge

| area_total_sq_mi = 745

| area_land_sq_mi = 709

| area_water_sq_mi = 36

| area percentage = 4.8

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 5315

| pop_est_as_of = 2024

| population_est = 5270 {{decrease}}

| density_sq_mi = auto

| time zone = Central

| web = walworthco.org

| named for = Walworth County, Wisconsin

| district = At-large

}}

Walworth County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,315.{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/walworthcountysouthdakota/PST045224 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=March 20, 2024}} Its county seat is Selby.{{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}} The county was created in 1873 and organized in 1883.{{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 31, 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 Walworth County, Wisconsin.Legislative Manual, South Dakota, 2005, p. 597

The Missouri River flows southward along the county's west boundary line. Swan Creek flows west-northwest through the county's SW corner, discharging into the Missouri. The county's terrain consists of semi-arid rolling hills, carved by drainages and gullies. Most of the area is devoted to agriculture.{{Cite web |title=Walworth County · South Dakota |url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Walworth+County,+SD/@45.2973295,-100.2294297,14.76z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x52d5ca832f51ba13:0x2907e30d9dfbcb41!8m2!3d45.381146!4d-100.0944336 |access-date=April 27, 2024 |website=Google Maps |language=en}} The terrain slopes to the south and east, although the western portion of the county drops westward into the Missouri River valley. The county's highest point is on the eastern portion of its north boundary line, at {{convert|1,982|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 9, 2019) |access-date=February 10, 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 }} The county has a total area of {{convert|745|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|709|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|36|sqmi}} (4.8%) 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 28, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}

The eastern portion of South Dakota's counties (48 of 66) observe Central Time; the western counties (18 of 66) observe Mountain Time. Walworth County is the westernmost of the SD counties to observe Central Time.[http://www.timebie.com/us/south_dakota.php Map of Time Zone Line through South Dakota (accessed January 30, 2019)]

Major highways

=Adjacent counties=

Campbell County - north
McPherson County - northeast
Edmunds County - east
Potter County - south
Dewey County - southwest (observes Mountain Time)
Corson County - northwest (observes Mountain Time)

=Protected areas<ref name=WCSD/>=

Blue Blanket Lake State Game Production Area
Bowdle Beach State Lakeside Use Area
Indian Creek State Recreation Area
Lake Hiddenwood State Recreation Area
LeBeau State Lakeside Use Area
Oahe Blue Blanket State Game Production Area
Revheim Bay Recreation Area
Spring Lake State Game Production Area
Swan Creek State Game Production Area
Swan Creek State Recreation Area
Swan Lake State Game Production Area
Thomas Bay State Lakeside Use Area
Walth Bay State Game Production Area
Walth Bay State Lakeside Use Area

=Lakes<ref name=WCSD/>=

Horseshoe Lake
Lake Hiddenwood
Lake Oahe (part)
Molsted Lake
Spring Lake
Swan Lake

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1880= 46

|1890= 2153

|1900= 3839

|1910= 6488

|1920= 8447

|1930= 8791

|1940= 7274

|1950= 7648

|1960= 8097

|1970= 7842

|1980= 7011

|1990= 6087

|2000= 5974

|2010= 5438

|2020= 5315

|estyear=2024

|estimate=5270

|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 5,315 people, 2,271 households, and 1,400 families in the county.{{Cite web|title=US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Walworth%20County,%20South%20Dakota%20p16&y=2020 |access-date=March 20, 2024 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} The population density was {{convert|7.5|PD/sqmi}}. There were 2,927 housing units.

=2010 census=

As of the 2010 census, there were 5,438 people, 2,392 households, and 1,490 families in the county. The population density was {{convert|7.7|PD/sqmi}}. There were 3,003 housing units at an average density of {{convert|4.2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 82.6% white, 14.3% American Indian, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.2% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 56.9% were German, 12.5% were Norwegian, 8.9% were Russian, 5.4% were Irish, and 3.1% were American.

Of the 2,392 households, 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.7% were non-families, and 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.79. The median age was 47.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,517 and the median income for a family was $51,250. Males had a median income of $37,857 versus $21,551 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,716. About 7.5% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.6% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

=Cities=

Mobridge
Selby (county seat)

=Towns=

Akaska (Population: 77)
Glenham (Population: 112)
Java (Population: 121)
Lowry (Population: 10)

=Unincorporated community<ref name=WCSD/>=

Sitka

=Unorganized territory=

West Walworth
East Walworth

Politics

Walworth County voters have been reliably Republican for decades. Only three Democratic presidential candidates have ever carried the county: William Jennings Bryan in 1896, Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 and 1936, and Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

{{PresHead|place=Walworth County, South Dakota|whig=no|source1={{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}}}}