Box Elder, South Dakota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Box Elder, South Dakota
čhaŋšúška
|
|
|---|---|
Box Elder City Hall
|
|
| Nickname(s):
Gateway to the Black Hills
|
|
Location in Pennington County and the state of South Dakota
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | South Dakota |
| Counties | Pennington, Meade |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Incorporated | May 12, 1965 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 14.777 sq mi (38.272 km2) |
| • Land | 14.753 sq mi (38.209 km2) |
| • Water | 0.024 sq mi (0.061 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,045 ft (928 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 11,746 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
|
13,868 |
| • Density | 796.18/sq mi (307.41/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC–7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC–6 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
57719
|
| Area code(s) | 605 |
| FIPS code | 46-06620 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1267290 |
| Sales tax | 6.2% |
Box Elder is a city in South Dakota, a state in the United States. It is located in both Pennington and Meade counties. The name "Box Elder" comes from a type of maple tree. In the Lakota language, the city is called čhaŋšúška.
In 2020, about 11,746 people lived in Box Elder. This made it the 10th largest city in South Dakota. A big part of the city is near Ellsworth Air Force Base, which is on its northeast side. The city was founded in 1907 and became an official city in 1965.
Contents
Geography of Box Elder
Box Elder covers an area of about 14.777 square miles (38.272 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.
Climate in Box Elder
Box Elder experiences a climate with warm summers and cold winters. Here's a look at the average temperatures and rainfall:
| Climate data for Rapid City, South Dakota (Rapid City Regional Airport), 1981−2010 normals | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 76 (24) |
75 (24) |
83 (28) |
93 (34) |
98 (37) |
109 (43) |
111 (44) |
107 (42) |
104 (40) |
94 (34) |
83 (28) |
75 (24) |
111 (44) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 37 (3) |
40 (4) |
48 (9) |
58 (14) |
68 (20) |
78 (26) |
87 (31) |
86 (30) |
76 (24) |
61 (16) |
47 (8) |
37 (3) |
60 (16) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 13 (−11) |
15 (−9) |
23 (−5) |
32 (0) |
42 (6) |
51 (11) |
58 (14) |
57 (14) |
46 (8) |
34 (1) |
22 (−6) |
13 (−11) |
34 (1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −27 (−33) |
−31 (−35) |
−21 (−29) |
1 (−17) |
18 (−8) |
31 (−1) |
39 (4) |
38 (3) |
18 (−8) |
−2 (−19) |
−19 (−28) |
−30 (−34) |
−31 (−35) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.30 (7.6) |
0.46 (12) |
0.93 (24) |
1.80 (46) |
3.22 (82) |
2.53 (64) |
1.85 (47) |
1.56 (40) |
1.29 (33) |
1.42 (36) |
0.53 (13) |
0.42 (11) |
16.31 (415.6) |
| Source: The Weather Channel (Historical Monthly Averages) | |||||||||||||
Population Changes in Box Elder
The number of people living in Box Elder has grown a lot over the years.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1970 | 607 | — | |
| 1980 | 3,186 | 424.9% | |
| 1990 | 2,680 | −15.9% | |
| 2000 | 2,841 | 6.0% | |
| 2010 | 7,800 | 174.6% | |
| 2020 | 11,746 | 50.6% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 13,868 | 77.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census |
|||
2020 Population Details
In 2020, Box Elder had 11,746 residents. There were 4,123 households and 2,992 families. The city's population density was about 810 people per square mile.
Most residents (71.0%) were White. Other groups included Black or African American (3.4%), Native American (6.7%), Asian (1.8%), and Pacific Islander (0.3%). About 8.4% of people identified as having two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 7.7% of the population.
About a quarter of the residents (24.9%) were under 18 years old. About 8.1% were under 5 years old. Only 6.7% of the population was 65 or older.
2010 Population Details
In 2010, Box Elder had 7,800 people. The racial makeup was mostly White (79.5%). Other groups included African American (5.1%), Native American (4.4%), Asian (2.2%), and Pacific Islander (0.4%). About 6.0% of people were from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people made up 7.9% of the population.
Many households (55.2%) had children under 18 living with them. The average age in the city was 23.5 years. About 33.6% of residents were under 18. The city had slightly more males (51.9%) than females (48.1%).
Schools in Box Elder
The Douglas School District serves most families in Box Elder. This includes families living on Ellsworth Air Force Base. The district has six schools in the city:
- Carrousel (for Pre-Kindergarten students)
- Badger Clark Elementary (Kindergarten to 3rd grade)
- Francis Case Elementary (Kindergarten to 3rd grade)
- Vandenberg Elementary (4th to 5th grade)
- Douglas Middle School (6th to 8th grade)
- Douglas High School (9th to 12th grade)
The sports teams at these schools are called the Douglas Patriots. A small part of Box Elder is also served by the Rapid City School District 51-4.
Places to Visit
- South Dakota Air and Space Museum: This museum is a great place to learn about air and space history.
Famous People from Box Elder
- Jeffrey W. Hayzlett: An author, speaker, and businessman.
- Nellie Zabel Willhite: The first deaf woman to get a pilot's license.
See also
In Spanish: Box Elder (Dakota del Sur) para niños
