Moody County, South Dakota
Moody County, South Dakota | |
|---|---|
The Moody County Courthouse in Flandreau | |
Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota | |
| Coordinates: 44°01′N 96°40′W / 44.02°N 96.67°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | South Dakota |
| Founded | 1873 |
| Named after | Gideon C. Moody |
| Seat | Flandreau |
| Largest city | Flandreau |
| Area | |
• Total | 521 sq mi (1,350 km2) |
| • Land | 519 sq mi (1,340 km2) |
| • Water | 1.4 sq mi (3.6 km2) 0.3% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 6,336 |
• Estimate (2023) | 6,529 |
| • Density | 12.2/sq mi (4.71/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | At-large |
| Website | www |
Moody County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota, United States. The population was 6,336 at the 2020 census.[1] Its county seat is Flandreau.[2] The county is named for Gideon C. Moody.[3]
Geography
Moody County lies on the east side of South Dakota. Its east boundary line abuts the west boundary line of the state of Minnesota. The Big Sioux River flows southerly through the center of the county. Its terrain consists of rolling hills, devoted to agriculture, with lakes in the western portion.[4] The terrain slopes to the south, with its high point near its northeast corner, at 1,749 ft (533 m) ASL, although the east and west sides also slope into the river valley through the center of the county.[5] The county has a total area of 521 square miles (1,350 km2), of which 519 square miles (1,340 km2) is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2) (0.3%) is water.[6]
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Brookings County - north
- Lincoln County, Minnesota - northeast
- Pipestone County, Minnesota - east
- Rock County, Minnesota - southeast
- Minnehaha County - south
- Lake County - west
Lakes
- Anderson Slough
- Lake Campbell (part)
- Mud Lake
- Poison Lake
- Bull Slough[4]
Protected areas
- Anderson Slough State Game Production Area
- Boles Slough State Game Production Area
- Gideon State Game Production Area
- Hazels Haven State Game Production Area
- Kamp State Game Production Area
- Olson Lake State Game Production Area[4]
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 3,915 | — | |
| 1890 | 5,941 | 51.7% | |
| 1900 | 8,326 | 40.1% | |
| 1910 | 8,695 | 4.4% | |
| 1920 | 9,742 | 12.0% | |
| 1930 | 9,603 | −1.4% | |
| 1940 | 9,341 | −2.7% | |
| 1950 | 9,252 | −1.0% | |
| 1960 | 8,810 | −4.8% | |
| 1970 | 7,622 | −13.5% | |
| 1980 | 6,692 | −12.2% | |
| 1990 | 6,507 | −2.8% | |
| 2000 | 6,595 | 1.4% | |
| 2010 | 6,486 | −1.7% | |
| 2020 | 6,336 | −2.3% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 6,529 | [7] | 3.0% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10] 1990–2000[11] 2010–2020[1] | |||
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 6,336 people, 2,474 households, and 1,685 families residing in the county.[12] The population density was 12.2 inhabitants per square mile (4.7/km2).[12]
Of the residents, 26.9% were under the age of 18 and 19.7% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 41.0 years. For every 100 females there were 103.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 102.8 males.[12]
The racial makeup of the county was 76.5% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 12.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% Asian, 3.2% from some other race, and 6.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.0% of the population.[13]
There were 2,474 households in the county, of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 21.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[12]
There were 2,728 housing units, of which 9.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.3% were owner-occupied and 23.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.3%.[12]
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 6,486 people, 2,554 households, and 1,751 families in the county. The population density was 12.5 inhabitants per square mile (4.8/km2). There were 2,824 housing units at an average density of 5.4 units per square mile (2.1 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 81.0% white, 14.0% American Indian, 1.1% Asian, 0.5% black or African American, 0.7% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 39.9% were German, 20.1% were Norwegian, 8.9% were Irish, 6.1% were Dutch, 5.1% were English, and 1.6% were American.
Of the 2,554 households, 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.4% were non-families, and 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.00. The median age was 40.5 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $52,354 and the median income for a family was $61,667. Males had a median income of $36,364 versus $30,854 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,948. About 4.7% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
Towns
Census-designated place
Unincorporated community
- Lone Tree
Townships
- Alliance
- Blinsmon
- Clare
- Colman
- Egan
- Enterprise
- Flandreau
- Fremont
- Grovena
- Jefferson
- Lone Rock
- Lynn
- Riverview
- Spring Creek
- Union
- Ward
Politics
Moody County voters tend to split between the two major political parties. Between 1960 and 2012, the national election results in Moody County were almost always evenly split. Since 2016, the county has started supporting Republican candidates more strongly.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 735 | 53.30% | 96 | 6.96% | 548 | 39.74% |
| 1896 | 780 | 43.36% | 1,012 | 56.25% | 7 | 0.39% |
| 1900 | 1,190 | 56.91% | 875 | 41.85% | 26 | 1.24% |
| 1904 | 1,471 | 75.13% | 295 | 15.07% | 192 | 9.81% |
| 1908 | 1,275 | 63.50% | 623 | 31.03% | 110 | 5.48% |
| 1912 | 0 | 0.00% | 637 | 35.61% | 1,152 | 64.39% |
| 1916 | 973 | 49.09% | 898 | 45.31% | 111 | 5.60% |
| 1920 | 1,667 | 63.55% | 371 | 14.14% | 585 | 22.30% |
| 1924 | 1,181 | 41.69% | 234 | 8.26% | 1,418 | 50.05% |
| 1928 | 2,108 | 59.63% | 1,416 | 40.06% | 11 | 0.31% |
| 1932 | 1,289 | 33.00% | 2,547 | 65.21% | 70 | 1.79% |
| 1936 | 1,992 | 43.68% | 2,366 | 51.89% | 202 | 4.43% |
| 1940 | 2,749 | 60.17% | 1,820 | 39.83% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 2,080 | 59.43% | 1,420 | 40.57% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 1,691 | 50.19% | 1,630 | 48.38% | 48 | 1.42% |
| 1952 | 2,728 | 71.47% | 1,089 | 28.53% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 2,133 | 53.69% | 1,840 | 46.31% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 2,119 | 52.49% | 1,918 | 47.51% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 1,461 | 38.84% | 2,301 | 61.16% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 1,689 | 48.87% | 1,614 | 46.70% | 153 | 4.43% |
| 1972 | 1,648 | 46.37% | 1,895 | 53.32% | 11 | 0.31% |
| 1976 | 1,475 | 43.03% | 1,942 | 56.65% | 11 | 0.32% |
| 1980 | 1,807 | 51.93% | 1,364 | 39.20% | 309 | 8.88% |
| 1984 | 1,633 | 50.59% | 1,586 | 49.13% | 9 | 0.28% |
| 1988 | 1,161 | 40.19% | 1,715 | 59.36% | 13 | 0.45% |
| 1992 | 898 | 28.93% | 1,473 | 47.45% | 733 | 23.61% |
| 1996 | 1,024 | 37.01% | 1,443 | 52.15% | 300 | 10.84% |
| 2000 | 1,361 | 49.76% | 1,318 | 48.19% | 56 | 2.05% |
| 2004 | 1,790 | 51.87% | 1,609 | 46.62% | 52 | 1.51% |
| 2008 | 1,508 | 46.34% | 1,663 | 51.11% | 83 | 2.55% |
| 2012 | 1,535 | 50.61% | 1,429 | 47.12% | 69 | 2.27% |
| 2016 | 1,731 | 59.02% | 1,043 | 35.56% | 159 | 5.42% |
| 2020 | 1,951 | 60.85% | 1,179 | 36.77% | 76 | 2.37% |
| 2024 | 2,068 | 64.85% | 1,052 | 32.99% | 69 | 2.16% |
Education
School districts include:[15]
- Brookings School District 05-1
- Chester School District 39-1
- Colman-Egan School District 50-5
- Dell Rapids School District 49-3
- Elkton School District 05-3
- Flandreau School District 50-3
- Oldham-Ramona-Rutland School District 39-6[16]
- Sioux Valley School District 05-5
The Rutland School District 39-4, in the county,[15] consolidated into ORR in 2023.[16]
See also
References
- ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Homepage at MoodyCounty.net; published 2011; retrieved January 9, 2014
- ^ a b c "Moody County · South Dakota". Google Maps. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
- ^ ""Find an Altitude" Google Maps (accessed February 7, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
- ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". Retrieved March 15, 2025.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
- ^ Forstall, Richard L. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 19, 1999. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-04.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-04.
- ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
- ^ a b Geography Division (January 14, 2021). 2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Moody County, SD (PDF) (Map). Suitland, Maryland: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved January 23, 2026. - Text list
- ^ a b Matzen, Morgan (August 11, 2023). "Two of South Dakota's smallest school districts are consolidating. Here's why". Argus Leader. Retrieved January 24, 2026.
