# Codington County, South Dakota

Codington County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,325, making it the 7th most populous county in South Dakota. Its county seat is Watertown. The county was created in 1877 and organized in 1878. It is named for Rev. George S. S. Codington, Dakota Territory legislator.
Codington County comprises the Watertown, SD Micropolitan Statistical Area.

## Geography

Codington County terrain consists of rolling hills dotted with lakes and ponds, especially in the southwest portion. The land is largely devoted to agriculture. The terrain is higher on the county's east and west sides, and generally slopes to the south. The county has a total area of 717 square miles (1,860 km$^2$), of which 688 square miles (1,780 km$^2$) is land and 29 square miles (75 km$^2$) (4.0%) is water.

### Major highways

* Interstate 29
* U.S. Highway 81
* U.S. Highway 212
* South Dakota Highway 20
* South Dakota Highway 20P

### Transit

* Jefferson Lines

### Adjacent counties

* Grant County - northeast
* Deuel County - southeast
* Hamlin County - south
* Clark County - west
* Day County - northwest

### Protected areas

* American Game Association State Game Production Area
* Blythe State Game Production Area
* Christopherson Game Production Area
* Clarksean State Game Production Area
* Codington County State Game Production Area
* Curley State Game Production Area
* Elmore State Game Production Area
* Gilbert State Game Production Area
* Goose Lake State Game Production Area
* Hanson State Game Production Area
* Horseshoe Lake State Game Production Area
* Larson State Game Production Area
* McKillicans Lake State Game Production Area
* North Nichols State Game Production Area
* North Stink Lake State Game Production Area
* Pelican Lake State Recreation Area
* Punished Womans Lake State Game Production Area
* Sandy Shore State Recreation Area
* Spencer State Game Production Area
* Spoonbill Pass State Game Production Area
* Thompson's Point State Lakeside Use Area
* Warner Lake State Game Production Area
* Wolf State Game Production Area (partial)

### Major lakes

* Cottonwood Lake
* Dry Lake
* Goose Lake
* Grass Lake
* Horseshoe Lake
* Kings Lake
* Lake Kampeska
* Lake Nicholson
* Long Lake
* McKillicans Lake
* Medicine Lake
* Pelican Lake
* Punished Womans Lake
* Round Lake
* Still Lake
* Warner Lake

## Demographics
### 2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 28,325 people, 12,026 households, and 7,199 families residing in the county. The population density was 41.2 inhabitants per square mile (15.9/km$^2$). There were 13,211 housing units.

### 2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 27,227 people, 11,432 households, and 7,216 families in the county. The population density was 39.5 inhabitants per square mile (15.3/km$^2$). There were 12,397 housing units at an average density of 18.0 per square mile (6.9/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 95.3% white, 2.0% American Indian, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.6% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 54.3% were German, 22.6% were Norwegian, 9.6% were Irish, 6.7% were English, and 3.3% were American.
Of the 11,432 households, 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.9% were non-families, and 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.93. The median age was 37.7 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $43,275 and the median income for a family was $60,202. Males had a median income of $39,076 versus $26,945 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,781. About 8.9% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.7% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### City

* Watertown (county seat)

### Towns

* Florence
* Henry
* Kranzburg
* South Shore
* Wallace

### Census-designated place

* Waverly

### Unincorporated communities

* Appleby
* Grover
* Kampeska
* Rauville

### Townships

* Dexter
* Eden
* Elmira
* Fuller
* Germantown
* Graceland
* Henry
* Kampeska
* Kranzburg
* Lake
* Leola
* Pelican
* Phipps
* Rauville
* Richland
* Sheridan
* Waverly

## Politics

Codington County voters have been reliably Republican for several decades. In no national election since 1976 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.
United States presidential election results for Codington County, South Dakota :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 9,349 | 69.20% | 3,840 | 28.42% | 321 | 2.38% |
| 2020 | 8,958 | 68.06% | 3,837 | 29.15% | 366 | 2.78% |
| 2016 | 7,764 | 66.54% | 3,174 | 27.20% | 731 | 6.26% |
| 2012 | 6,696 | 58.10% | 4,588 | 39.81% | 240 | 2.08% |
| 2008 | 6,374 | 52.31% | 5,595 | 45.92% | 216 | 1.77% |
| 2004 | 7,778 | 61.00% | 4,803 | 37.67% | 170 | 1.33% |
| 2000 | 6,718 | 60.32% | 4,192 | 37.64% | 228 | 2.05% |
| 1996 | 4,995 | 45.18% | 4,722 | 42.71% | 1,338 | 12.10% |
| 1992 | 3,943 | 36.03% | 3,701 | 33.82% | 3,299 | 30.15% |
| 1988 | 5,050 | 51.99% | 4,570 | 47.05% | 94 | 0.97% |
| 1984 | 6,108 | 63.11% | 3,528 | 36.45% | 42 | 0.43% |
| 1980 | 5,903 | 59.09% | 3,353 | 33.56% | 734 | 7.35% |
| 1976 | 4,504 | 48.89% | 4,680 | 50.80% | 29 | 0.31% |
| 1972 | 4,936 | 51.61% | 4,601 | 48.11% | 27 | 0.28% |
| 1968 | 3,929 | 46.49% | 4,235 | 50.11% | 288 | 3.41% |
| 1964 | 3,593 | 40.16% | 5,353 | 59.84% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 5,309 | 55.23% | 4,304 | 44.77% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 5,150 | 57.72% | 3,772 | 42.28% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 5,750 | 65.91% | 2,974 | 34.09% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 3,349 | 45.01% | 4,042 | 54.32% | 50 | 0.67% |
| 1944 | 3,348 | 51.76% | 3,120 | 48.24% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 4,320 | 53.83% | 3,705 | 46.17% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 3,005 | 39.44% | 4,256 | 55.85% | 359 | 4.71% |
| 1932 | 2,538 | 34.32% | 4,806 | 64.98% | 52 | 0.70% |
| 1928 | 3,762 | 53.08% | 3,299 | 46.55% | 26 | 0.37% |
| 1924 | 1,862 | 41.38% | 627 | 13.93% | 2,011 | 44.69% |
| 1920 | 2,706 | 59.84% | 867 | 19.17% | 949 | 20.99% |
| 1916 | 1,550 | 51.82% | 1,344 | 44.93% | 97 | 3.24% |
| 1912 | 0 | 0.00% | 1,111 | 45.03% | 1,356 | 54.97% |
| 1908 | 1,618 | 63.30% | 831 | 32.51% | 107 | 4.19% |
| 1904 | 1,741 | 72.18% | 582 | 24.13% | 89 | 3.69% |
| 1900 | 1,225 | 58.28% | 805 | 38.30% | 72 | 3.43% |
| 1896 | 1,041 | 57.10% | 759 | 41.63% | 23 | 1.26% |
| 1892 | 882 | 52.16% | 408 | 24.13% | 401 | 23.71% |