List of towns in South Dakota facts for kids
South Dakota is a state in the United States, and it has many different kinds of places where people live. These places are called 'municipalities.' This article is all about the towns in South Dakota. Towns are special places that have officially formed their own local government. This means they can make their own rules and provide services for their residents.
In South Dakota, places can be set up as either towns or cities. Generally, towns are smaller than cities. For example, in 2010, towns had populations ranging from just 3 people to about 766 people. South Dakota also has one special type of municipality called a village, which is Wentworth.
What is a Town?
A town in South Dakota is a community that has officially become a 'municipal corporation.' This means it has its own local government, separate from the county government. Towns are usually smaller communities, but they still play an important role in the state. They have elected officials who help manage local services like roads, water, and sometimes even local police or fire departments.
County Seats Among Towns
A county seat is the main town or city in a county. It's where the county government offices are located. This is often where the courthouse is, and where important county records are kept. Even though towns are usually small, some of them are important enough to be county seats.
Seven towns in South Dakota are also county seats. This means they are the center of government for their county. Some examples of these towns include:
- Bison in Perkins County
- Buffalo in Harding County
- Hayti in Hamlin County
- Kennebec in Lyman County
- Mound City in Campbell County
- Olivet in Hutchinson County
Smallest and Largest Towns
Towns in South Dakota can be very small. For example, in 2010, the town of Hillsview had only 3 people living there! Another very small town is White Rock, also with just 3 residents.
On the other hand, some towns are quite a bit larger. The biggest town listed in 2010 was Wall, with a population of 766 people. Other larger towns include St. Francis (709 people) and Humboldt (589 people).
Even though some cities in South Dakota are much bigger, many places that are called 'cities' actually have populations similar to these larger towns. This shows that the difference between a town and a city in South Dakota isn't always just about size.
