McPherson County is a
countyA county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count .Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain, Ireland and France—the term is from Old...
located in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
South DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. South Dakota was carved out of the southern half of the Dakota Territory and admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889...
. As of 2000, the population was 2,904. Its
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
is
LeolaLeola is a city in McPherson County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 462 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of McPherson County.-Geography:Leola is located at ....
. The county is named after
American Civil WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
GeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank. The term or equivalent is used by nearly every country in the world. General can be used as a generic term for all grades of general officer, or it can specifically refer to a single rank that is simply called general.-All general officer...
James B. McPhersonJames Birdseye McPherson was a career United States Army officer who served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was killed at the Battle of Atlanta and was the highest ranking Union officer killed during the conflict.-Early life and career:McPherson was born near...
.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the county has a total area of 1,152 square miles (2,983 km²), of which, 1,137 square miles (2,945 km²) of it is land and 15 square miles (39 km²) of it (1.29%) is water.
Townships
The county is divided into five
townshipsA township in the United States is a small geographic area. Townships range in size from 6 to 54 square miles , with 36 square miles being the norm.The term is used in two ways....
: Carl, Hoffman, Wachter, Wacker, and Weber; and two areas of unorganized territory: West McPherson and Central McPherson.
Major Highways
Adjacent Counties
- McIntosh County, North Dakota
McIntosh County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of 2000, the population was 3,390. Its county seat is Ashley.-Geography:According to the U.S...
- north
- Dickey County, North Dakota
Dickey County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of 2000, the population was 5,757. Its county seat is Ellendale.The legislature for the Dakota Territory authorized the formation of Dickey County in 1881, naming it for one of their members, George H. Dickey. An organizing...
- northeast
- Brown County, South Dakota
Brown County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of 2000, the population was 35,460. Its county seat is Aberdeen. The county is named after Alfred Brown, of Hutchinson County, South Dakota, a Dakota Territory legislator in 1879....
- east
- Edmunds County, South Dakota
Edmunds County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of 2000, the population was 4,367. Its county seat is Ipswich.Edmunds County is part of the Aberdeen, South Dakota Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:According to the U.S...
- south
- Campbell County, South Dakota
Campbell County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of 2000, the population was 1,782. Its county seat is Mound City. The county is named after Norman B. Campbell, Dakota Territory legislator in 1873, son of General Charles T. Campbell....
- west
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 2,904 people, 1,227 households, and 822 families residing in the county. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 3 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 1,465 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 99.35%
WhiteRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.28%
Native AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.14%
AsianRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.03% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.21% from two or more races. 0.21% of the population were
HispanicRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
LatinoRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 1,227 households out of which 23.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.10% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 2.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.00% were non-families. 31.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.20% under the age of 18, 4.50% from 18 to 24, 20.10% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 29.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 93.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $22,380, and the median income for a family was $29,811. Males had a median income of $23,705 versus $17,850 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the county was $12,748. About 17.00% of families and 22.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.80% of those under age 18 and 22.20% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- Eureka
Eureka is a city in McPherson County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,101 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Eureka is located at ....
- Greenway
- Hillsview
Hillsview is a town in McPherson County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 3 at the 2000 census.-Population:According to the United States Census Bureau, it is one of only nine places in the United States with a population of three people...
- Leola
Leola is a city in McPherson County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 462 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of McPherson County.-Geography:Leola is located at ....
- Long Lake
Long Lake is a town in McPherson County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 58 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Long Lake is located at ....
- Wetonka
Wetonka is a town in McPherson County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 12 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wetonka is located at ....