# Edmunds County, South Dakota

Edmunds County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. At the 2020 census, the population was 3,986. Its county seat is Ipswich. The county was established in 1873 and organized in 1883. It is named for Newton Edmunds, the second Governor of Dakota Territory.
Edmunds County is part of the Aberdeen, SD Micropolitan Statistical Area.

## Geography

The terrain of Edmunds County consists of rolling hills, mostly dedicated to agriculture. The terrain's highest point is on the west portion of the north boundary line, at 1,978 ft (603 m) ASL. The county has a total area of 1,151 square miles (2,980 km$^2$), of which 1,126 square miles (2,920 km$^2$) is land and 25 square miles (65 km$^2$) (2.2%) is water.

### Major highways

* U.S. Highway 12
* South Dakota Highway 45
* South Dakota Highway 47
* South Dakota Highway 247
* South Dakota Highway 253

### Adjacent counties

* McPherson County - north
* Brown County - east
* Faulk County - south
* Potter County - southwest
* Walworth County - west

### Protected areas

* Bowdle-Hosmer State Game Production Area
* Heilman State Game Production Area
* Hosmer State Game Production Area
* Light State Game Production Area
* Losee State Game Production Area
* Mina Lake State Recreation Area
* Mina State Game Production Area
* North Scatterwood State Game Production Area
* Rosette State Game Production Area
* Schaber State Game Production Area
* Shaner State Game Production Area
* Steigelmier State Game Production Area

### Lakes

* Alkali Lake
* Bowdle-Hosmer Lake
* Grass Lake
* Lake Parmley
* North Scatterwood Lake (partial)

## Demographics
### 2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 3,986 people, 1,546 households, and 1,052 families residing in the county. The population density was 3.5 inhabitants per square mile (1.4/km$^2$). There were 1,940 housing units.

### 2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 4,071 people, 1,607 households and 1,057 families residing in the county. The population density was 3.6 per square mile (1.4/km$^2$). There were 1,966 housing units at an average density of 1.7 per square mile (0.66/km$^2$). The racial make-up of the county was 97.8% white, 0.4% American Indian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 70.8% were German, 11.4% were Norwegian, 10.1% were Russian, 5.9% were English and 2.4% were American.
Of the 1,607 households, 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.9% were married couples living together, 4.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.2% were non-families, and 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age was 45.7 years.
The median household income was $47,026 and the median family income was $56,599. Males had a median income of $37,713 and females $26,287. The per capita income was $24,268. About 6.9% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.0% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.

## Notable events

Edmunds County is where the Learjet of the PGA golfer Payne Stewart crashed, killing him and five others on board. The plane crashed just south of the community of Mina at the approximate coordinates of 45°25' N 98°45' W.

## Communities
### Cities

* Bowdle
* Hosmer
* Ipswich (county seat)
* Roscoe

### Census-designated places

* Deerfield Colony
* Mina
* Pembrook Colony
* Plainview Colony

### Unincorporated communities

* Beebe
* Craven
* Gretna
* Loyalton
* Powell

### Townships

* Adrian
* Belle
* Bowdle
* Bryant
* Clear Lake
* Cleveland
* Cloyd
* Cordlandt
* Cottonwood Lake
* Fountain
* Glen
* Glover
* Harmony
* Hillside
* Hosmer
* Hudson
* Huntley
* Ipswich
* Kent
* Liberty
* Madison
* Modena
* Montpelier
* North Bryant
* Odessa
* Pembrook
* Powell
* Richland
* Rosette
* Sangamon
* Union
* Vermont

## Politics

Edmunds County voters have long been reliably Republican. Since 1936, in only three elections has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate. Although it was one of only 129 counties nationwide to back George McGovern in his landslide 1972 defeat, it has voted for fewer Democratic presidential nominees (six) than any other county McGovern carried, with Jimmy Carter in 1976 the last Democrat to carry the county and Kamala Harris not passing twenty percent in 2024.
United States presidential election results for Edmunds County, South Dakota :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 1,618 | 79.67% | 384 | 18.91% | 29 | 1.43% |
| 2020 | 1,538 | 77.48% | 417 | 21.01% | 30 | 1.51% |
| 2016 | 1,433 | 74.71% | 380 | 19.81% | 105 | 5.47% |
| 2012 | 1,264 | 65.29% | 622 | 32.13% | 50 | 2.58% |
| 2008 | 1,213 | 58.43% | 819 | 39.45% | 44 | 2.12% |
| 2004 | 1,434 | 64.19% | 765 | 34.24% | 35 | 1.57% |
| 2000 | 1,257 | 63.29% | 676 | 34.04% | 53 | 2.67% |
| 1996 | 1,055 | 45.67% | 973 | 42.12% | 282 | 12.21% |
| 1992 | 944 | 41.77% | 894 | 39.56% | 422 | 18.67% |
| 1988 | 1,327 | 51.06% | 1,259 | 48.44% | 13 | 0.50% |
| 1984 | 1,553 | 60.43% | 1,007 | 39.18% | 10 | 0.39% |
| 1980 | 1,881 | 64.55% | 883 | 30.30% | 150 | 5.15% |
| 1976 | 1,294 | 44.13% | 1,629 | 55.56% | 9 | 0.31% |
| 1972 | 1,567 | 48.73% | 1,646 | 51.18% | 3 | 0.09% |
| 1968 | 1,534 | 52.18% | 1,225 | 41.67% | 181 | 6.16% |
| 1964 | 1,442 | 45.78% | 1,708 | 54.22% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 1,728 | 51.78% | 1,609 | 48.22% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,685 | 51.61% | 1,580 | 48.39% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 2,178 | 68.25% | 1,013 | 31.75% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 1,493 | 54.00% | 1,253 | 45.32% | 19 | 0.69% |
| 1944 | 1,762 | 64.71% | 961 | 35.29% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 2,341 | 61.87% | 1,443 | 38.13% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 1,818 | 46.76% | 2,030 | 52.21% | 40 | 1.03% |
| 1932 | 1,183 | 30.84% | 2,588 | 67.47% | 65 | 1.69% |
| 1928 | 1,743 | 51.95% | 1,597 | 47.60% | 15 | 0.45% |
| 1924 | 1,043 | 42.38% | 277 | 11.26% | 1,141 | 46.36% |
| 1920 | 1,486 | 60.36% | 283 | 11.49% | 693 | 28.15% |
| 1916 | 894 | 55.46% | 634 | 39.33% | 84 | 5.21% |
| 1912 | 0 | 0.00% | 729 | 49.12% | 755 | 50.88% |
| 1908 | 726 | 50.14% | 658 | 45.44% | 64 | 4.42% |
| 1904 | 786 | 65.88% | 353 | 29.59% | 54 | 4.53% |
| 1900 | 621 | 51.97% | 553 | 46.28% | 21 | 1.76% |
| 1896 | 371 | 41.78% | 510 | 57.43% | 7 | 0.79% |
| 1892 | 386 | 44.22% | 156 | 17.87% | 331 | 37.92% |