Brown County, South Dakota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brown County
U.S. county
Brown County Courthouse in fall
Flag
Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota
South Dakota's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	South Dakota
Founded	July 6, 1881
Seat	Aberdeen
Largest city	Aberdeen
Area
• Total	1,731 sq mi (4,480 km2)
• Land	1,713 sq mi (4,440 km2)
• Water	18 sq mi (50 km2)  1.0%
Population  (2020)
• Total	38,301
• Estimate  (2023)	37,733
• Density	22.127/sq mi (8.5431/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	At-large

Brown County is a county located in the state of South Dakota in the United States. It was founded on July 6, 1881.

As of the 2020 census, about 38,301 people lived here. This makes it the fourth most populated county in South Dakota. The main city and county seat (where the county government is) is Aberdeen.

The county is named after Alfred Brown. He was a legislator (someone who makes laws) in the Dakota Territory back in 1879. Brown County is also part of the Aberdeen, SD Micropolitan Statistical Area. This means it's connected to Aberdeen for jobs and daily life.

Exploring Brown County

Where is Brown County?

Brown County is in the northern part of South Dakota. Its northern border touches the state of North Dakota. The James River flows through the county, heading south.

The land in Brown County is mostly rolling hills. It slopes gently to the south and east. A lot of the land is used for farming.

The county covers a total area of about 1,731 square miles (4,483 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with only a small part being water.

Main Roads to Know

You can get around Brown County using these important highways:

Neighboring Counties

Brown County shares its borders with several other counties:

Natural Places to Visit

Brown County has many protected natural areas. These places help keep nature safe and offer outdoor fun. Some of these areas include:

• Bodi State Game Production Area
• Casanova State Game Production Area
• Richmond Lake State Recreation Area
• Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge

People of Brown County

Population Facts

In 2020, there were 38,301 people living in Brown County. There were also 16,130 households. A household is a group of people living together in one home.

The population density was about 22.4 people per square mile. This tells us how many people live in a certain area.

Most people in the county are white (about 93.2% in 2010). There are also American Indian, Asian, and Black residents. About 1.4% of the population is of Hispanic or Latino background.

The average age of people in Brown County in 2010 was 38.6 years old.

Cities and Towns

Brown County has several cities and smaller towns where people live.

Cities

• Aberdeen (This is the county seat, meaning it's the main administrative city.)
• Columbia
• Groton

Towns

Other Communities

There are also smaller communities in Brown County. Some of these are called "Census-designated places" (CDPs). These are areas that look like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities or towns.

Townships

Brown County is also divided into smaller areas called townships. These help with local government and services. Some of these include:

Images for kids

• 

  Brown County Courthouse in fall

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Brown (Dakota del Sur) para niños