Union County, South Dakota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Union County
U.S. county
Chicago and North Western Railway depot in Beresford, South Dakota
Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota
South Dakota's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	South Dakota
Founded	April 10, 1862
Seat	Elk Point
Largest community	Dakota Dunes
Area
• Total	467 sq mi (1,210 km2)
• Land	461 sq mi (1,190 km2)
• Water	6.6 sq mi (17 km2)  1.4%
Population  (2020)
• Total	16,811
• Estimate  (2023)	17,183
• Density	36.00/sq mi (13.899/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	At-large

Union County is a county located in the very southern part of South Dakota, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 16,811 people lived here, making it the 13th most populated county in South Dakota. The main town, or county seat, is Elk Point. It has been the county seat since April 30, 1865.

The county was first called Cole County. But on January 7, 1864, its name was changed to Union. This change happened because of strong feelings during the American Civil War. Union County is also part of the larger Sioux City metropolitan area, which includes parts of Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. In 2006, The Progressive Farmer magazine said Union County was one of the "Best Places to Live" in the U.S. They liked its good schools, tidy towns, and friendly people.

History of Union County

Union County was first created on April 10, 1862, and was known as Cole County. Its name changed to Union County on January 7, 1864. At that time, its borders also changed to include land that used to be part of Lincoln County. The county seat, which is the main town where the county government is located, moved from Richland to Elk Point on April 30, 1865.

Geography of Union County

Union County is located in the southeast corner of South Dakota. Its eastern border is next to Iowa, across the Big Sioux River. Its southern border is next to Nebraska, across the Missouri River. A creek called Brule Creek flows through the middle of the county, heading southeast and emptying into the Big Sioux River.

The land in Union County has rolling hills. Most of the land is used for farming, except for the areas where towns are built. The land slopes down towards the south and east. The highest point in the county is in its northwest corner, about 1,509 feet (460 meters) above sea level. The county covers a total area of 467 square miles (1,210 square kilometers). Of this, 461 square miles (1,190 square kilometers) is land, and 6.6 square miles (17 square kilometers) is water. It is the fifth-smallest county in South Dakota by land area.

Major Roads in Union County

Neighboring Counties

Protected Natural Areas

Lakes in Union County

• Burbank Lake (part of it)
• McCook Lake
• Mud Lake

Population and People

2020 Census Information

In 2020, the census counted 16,811 people living in Union County. There were 6,822 households and 4,613 families. This means there were about 36.5 people per square mile. There were also 7,215 homes or housing units.

2010 Census Information

According to the 2010 census, there were 14,399 people in the county. About 95.5% of the people were white. Other groups included Asian (0.9%), black or African American (0.7%), and American Indian (0.6%). About 2.1% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino origin.

Many people in Union County have ancestors from Germany (42.0%), Norway (18.2%), or Ireland (17.7%). The average age of people in the county was 40.2 years old. The average income for a household was $59,889. About 4.9% of all people in the county lived below the poverty line.

Towns and Communities

Cities in Union County

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities.

• Dakota Dunes
• Richland

Unincorporated Communities

These are small communities that are not officially part of a city or town.

Ghost Towns

These are places where towns once existed but are now abandoned.

Townships

Townships are smaller areas within a county, often used for local government.

Unorganized Territory

• Richland

See also

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