# Lincoln County, South Dakota

Lincoln County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,161, making it the third most populous county in South Dakota. Its county seat is Canton. The county was named for Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States. Lincoln County is included in the Sioux Falls, SD, Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is one of the top 10 fastest-growing counties in the United States in terms of rate of population increase, rate of housing unit increase, and many other factors. This is due to the southward growth of Sioux Falls, and the expansion of its suburbs.

## Geography

The Big Sioux River flows south-southeastward along the east line of Lincoln County. Lincoln County is on the eastern line of South Dakota. Its east boundary line abuts the west boundary line of the state of Iowa (across the river).
The county terrain consists of low rolling hills. The county area is largely devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the southeast, and drops off to the river valley along its east edge. The county has a total area of 578 square miles (1,500 km$^2$), of which 577 square miles (1,490 km$^2$) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km$^2$) (0.08%) is water.

### Lakes

* Lake Alvin
* Lake Lakota

### Protected areas

Source:
* Atkins Waterfowl Production Area
* Fish State Game Production Area
* Good Earth State Park
* Johnson State Game Production Area
* Klondike State Game Production Area
* Lake Alvin State Game Production Area
* Lake Alvin State Recreation Area
* McKee State Game Production Area
* Newton Hills State Park
* Nine Mile Creek State Game Production Area
* Oak Ridge State Game Production Area
* Pattee Lake State Game Production Area
* Rolling State Game Production Area
* Watershed Lake State Game Production Area
* Worthing State Game Production Area

### Major highways

* Interstate 29
* Interstate 229
* U.S. Highway 18
* South Dakota Highway 11
* South Dakota Highway 17
* South Dakota Highway 44
* South Dakota Highway 46
* South Dakota Highway 115

### Adjacent counties

* Minnehaha County – north
* Lyon County, Iowa – northeast
* Sioux County, Iowa – southeast
* Union County – south
* Clay County – southwest
* Turner County – west

## Demographics
### 2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 65,161 people, 24,877 households, and 17,239 families residing in the county. The population density was 112.9 inhabitants per square mile (43.6/km$^2$). There were 26,227 housing units.

### 2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 44,828 people, 16,649 households, and 12,287 families in the county. The population density was 77.7 inhabitants per square mile (30.0/km$^2$). There were 17,875 housing units at an average density of 31.0 per square mile (12.0/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 96.1% white, 1.0% Asian, 0.7% black or African American, 0.5% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.2% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 47.1% were German, 20.9% were Norwegian, 11.7% were Irish, 7.2% were Dutch, 5.2% were English, and 3.9% were American.
Of the 16,649 households, 41.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 26.2% were non-families, and 20.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.11. The median age was 32.8 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $67,365 and the median income for a family was $75,231. Males had a median income of $43,537 versus $34,715 for females. The per capita income for the county was $33,261. About 2.7% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Cities

* Beresford (partial)
* Canton (county seat)
* Harrisburg
* Lennox
* Sioux Falls (partial)
* Tea
* Worthing

### Towns

* Fairview
* Hudson

### Census-designated place

* Shindler

### Unincorporated communities

Source:
* Naomi (partial)
* Norway Center

### Townships

* Brooklyn
* Canton
* Dayton
* Delapre
* Delaware
* Eden
* Grant
* Fairview
* Highland
* La Valley
* Lincoln
* Lynn
* Norway
* Perry
* Pleasant
* Springdale

## Politics

Lincoln County voters have been reliably Republican for decades. In no national election since 1964 has the county selected a Democratic Party candidate. Only three times in its history has it voted for a different party, twice for the Democratic Party and once for the Progressive Party. In 1924 the county voted for independent candidate LaFollete who was nominated by the progressive party but ran without a label in South Dakota.
United States presidential election results for Lincoln County, South Dakota :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 22,621 | 62.16% | 12,981 | 35.67% | 791 | 2.17% |
| 2020 | 19,617 | 60.55% | 11,981 | 36.98% | 798 | 2.46% |
| 2016 | 15,499 | 61.43% | 8,076 | 32.01% | 1,656 | 6.56% |
| 2012 | 13,611 | 62.00% | 7,982 | 36.36% | 359 | 1.64% |
| 2008 | 11,803 | 56.84% | 8,642 | 41.61% | 322 | 1.55% |
| 2004 | 11,161 | 65.40% | 5,703 | 33.42% | 202 | 1.18% |
| 2000 | 6,546 | 62.01% | 3,844 | 36.42% | 166 | 1.57% |
| 1996 | 4,201 | 48.92% | 3,643 | 42.42% | 743 | 8.65% |
| 1992 | 3,365 | 42.47% | 2,943 | 37.15% | 1,615 | 20.38% |
| 1988 | 3,537 | 52.35% | 3,190 | 47.21% | 30 | 0.44% |
| 1984 | 3,988 | 60.10% | 2,626 | 39.57% | 22 | 0.33% |
| 1980 | 3,848 | 57.45% | 2,261 | 33.76% | 589 | 8.79% |
| 1976 | 3,105 | 51.04% | 2,957 | 48.60% | 22 | 0.36% |
| 1972 | 3,201 | 54.92% | 2,617 | 44.90% | 10 | 0.17% |
| 1968 | 3,259 | 59.89% | 1,961 | 36.03% | 222 | 4.08% |
| 1964 | 2,740 | 49.14% | 2,836 | 50.86% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 3,553 | 64.16% | 1,985 | 35.84% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 3,529 | 62.24% | 2,141 | 37.76% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 4,387 | 78.35% | 1,212 | 21.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 2,771 | 59.51% | 1,826 | 39.22% | 59 | 1.27% |
| 1944 | 3,298 | 66.99% | 1,625 | 33.01% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 4,081 | 66.59% | 2,048 | 33.41% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 2,918 | 48.42% | 2,541 | 42.17% | 567 | 9.41% |
| 1932 | 2,160 | 38.85% | 3,300 | 59.35% | 100 | 1.80% |
| 1928 | 3,463 | 71.40% | 1,364 | 28.12% | 23 | 0.47% |
| 1924 | 1,825 | 43.81% | 265 | 6.36% | 2,076 | 49.83% |
| 1920 | 2,790 | 73.54% | 441 | 11.62% | 563 | 14.84% |
| 1916 | 1,591 | 60.29% | 936 | 35.47% | 112 | 4.24% |
| 1912 | 0 | 0.00% | 719 | 28.52% | 1,802 | 71.48% |
| 1908 | 1,887 | 69.40% | 699 | 25.71% | 133 | 4.89% |
| 1904 | 2,471 | 80.49% | 378 | 12.31% | 221 | 7.20% |
| 1900 | 1,908 | 59.96% | 1,226 | 38.53% | 48 | 1.51% |
| 1896 | 1,516 | 51.86% | 1,393 | 47.66% | 14 | 0.48% |
| 1892 | 1,130 | 55.53% | 206 | 10.12% | 699 | 34.35% |

## Education

School districts include:
* Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1
* Beresford School District 61-2
* Canton School District 41-1
* Centerville School District 60-1
* Harrisburg School District 41-2
* Lennox School District 41-4
* Sioux Falls School District 49-5
* Tea Area School District 41-5