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Jefferson, South Dakota facts for kids

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Jefferson, South Dakota
Location in Union County and the state of South Dakota
Location in Union County and the state of South Dakota
Country United States
State South Dakota
County Union
Incorporated 1895
Area
 • Total 0.51 sq mi (1.32 km2)
 • Land 0.51 sq mi (1.32 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
1,116 ft (340 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 475
 • Density 931.37/sq mi (359.27/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
57038
Area code(s) 605
FIPS code 46-32700
GNIS feature ID 1267441

Jefferson is a small city in Union County, South Dakota. In 2020, about 475 people lived there.

Jefferson is part of a larger area called the Sioux City Metropolitan Statistical Area. This area includes parts of Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota.

The city was started in 1859. Every year, people in Jefferson celebrate "Jefferson Days." This festival remembers the city's founding with fun events. These events include a movie in the park, a car show, fireworks, and a parade.

Jefferson was named after President Thomas Jefferson.

History of Jefferson

Jefferson was mostly settled by French-Canadian families. By 1867, about 25 French-Canadian families lived in the town.

In the winter of 1880-1881, a serious sickness spread through the town. It was thought to have come from Russian Mennonite travelers. The town was closed off for several weeks. Trains did not stop there, and mail was not delivered. More than 82 people sadly passed away during this time.

Geography and Location

Jefferson is a small city, covering about 0.50 square miles (1.3 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the city limits.

The city is close to several bodies of water. These include Horseshoe Lake, which is a small lake shaped like a U. It is also near McCook Lake, the Big Sioux River, and the Missouri River.

Population Over Time

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 90
1890 229 154.4%
1900 364 59.0%
1910 407 11.8%
1920 550 35.1%
1930 426 −22.5%
1940 469 10.1%
1950 466 −0.6%
1960 443 −4.9%
1970 474 7.0%
1980 592 24.9%
1990 527 −11.0%
2000 586 11.2%
2010 547 −6.7%
2020 475 −13.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

What the 2010 Census Showed

In 2010, there were 547 people living in Jefferson. These people lived in 233 homes, and 146 of these were families. The city had about 1094 people per square mile.

Most people in Jefferson were White (97.4%). A small number were African American, Native American, or from other backgrounds. About 1.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

In 2010, about 28.8% of homes had children under 18 living there. Many homes (50.2%) were married couples. The average age of people in Jefferson was about 39 years old.

See also

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