Jackson County, South Dakota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jackson County
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![]() Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota
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![]() South Dakota's location within the U.S. |
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Country | ![]() |
State | ![]() |
Founded | 1883 (created) 1915 (organized) |
Seat | Kadoka |
Largest community | Kadoka |
Area | |
• Total | 1,871 sq mi (4,850 km2) |
• Land | 1,864 sq mi (4,830 km2) |
• Water | 7.4 sq mi (19 km2) 0.4% |
Population
(2020)
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• Total | 2,806 |
• Estimate
(2023)
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2,776 ![]() |
• Density | 1.4997/sq mi (0.57905/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
Congressional district | At-large |
Washabaugh County was merged into Jackson County in 1983 |

Jackson County is a special area, called a county, located in the state of South Dakota, USA. In 2020, about 2,806 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, is Kadoka. Jackson County was first created in 1883. It officially started working as a county in 1915. Another county, Washabaugh County, joined with Jackson County in 1983.
Contents
Exploring Jackson County's Geography
The land in Jackson County has mountains that rise from rolling hills. The ground is often dry and has many natural ditches and valleys. The White River flows east through the middle of the county. The land generally slopes towards the northeast. The highest point is a ridge in the southwest corner, about 3,274 feet (998 meters) above sea level.
Jackson County covers a total area of about 1,871 square miles. Most of this, 1,864 square miles, is land. Only a small part, about 7.4 square miles, is water. About 57 percent of the land, which is south of the White River, is part of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The county also includes the eastern edge of Badlands National Park.

South Dakota has two time zones. Most eastern counties use Central Time. Western counties, including Jackson County, use Mountain Time. Jackson County is the most eastern county in South Dakota to observe Mountain Time.
Main Roads in Jackson County
Interstate 90
U.S. Highway 14
South Dakota Highway 44
South Dakota Highway 63
South Dakota Highway 73
South Dakota Highway 377
Neighboring Counties
Jackson County shares borders with several other counties:
- Haakon County - to the north
- Jones County - to the northeast (uses Central Time)
- Mellette County - to the east (uses Central Time)
- Todd County - to the southeast (uses Central Time)
- Bennett County - to the south
- Oglala Lakota County - to the southwest
- Pennington County - to the northwest
Lakes in the Area
- Kadoka Lake
- Wanblee Lake
Protected Natural Areas
- Badlands National Park (part of it is in Jackson County)
- Buffalo Gap National Grassland (part of it is in Jackson County)
- Minuteman Missile National Historic Site (part of it is in Jackson County)
People of Jackson County
Historical population | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1920 | 2,472 | — | |
1930 | 2,636 | 6.6% | |
1940 | 1,955 | −25.8% | |
1950 | 1,768 | −9.6% | |
1960 | 1,985 | 12.3% | |
1970 | 1,531 | −22.9% | |
1980 | 3,437 | 124.5% | |
1990 | 2,811 | −18.2% | |
2000 | 2,930 | 4.2% | |
2010 | 3,031 | 3.4% | |
2020 | 2,806 | −7.4% | |
2023 (est.) | 2,776 | −8.4% | |
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020 |
Population in 2020
In 2020, the census counted 2,806 people living in Jackson County. There were 887 households and 637 families. This means there were about 1.5 people per square mile. There were also 1,064 housing units available.
Population in 2010
According to the 2010 census, 3,031 people lived in the county. There were 996 households and 703 families. The population density was about 1.6 people per square mile.
The people living in Jackson County were from different backgrounds:
- 52.0% were American Indian.
- 42.7% were white.
- 0.2% were black or African American.
- 0.2% were from other races.
- 4.8% were from two or more races.
About 1.3% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino origin.
Many households had children under 18 living with them (40.2%). About 45.8% were married couples. The average household had 3.00 people, and the average family had 3.65 people. The average age of people in the county was 31.5 years.
Communities in Jackson County
City
- Kadoka (This is the county seat, with about 543 people.)
Towns
- Belvidere (Population: 46)
- Cottonwood (Population: 12)
- Interior (Population: 65)
Census-designated place
- Wanblee (Population: 674)
Other Small Communities
These places are not officially organized as cities or towns:
- Cactus Flat
- Hisle
- Long Valley
- Potato Creek
- Stamford
- Weta
Townships
Townships are smaller local government areas:
- Grandview II
- Interior
- Jewett
- Wall
- Weta
Unorganized Territories
These areas do not have their own local government:
- East Jackson
- Northwest Jackson
- Southeast Jackson
- Southwest Jackson
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Jackson (Dakota del Sur) para niños