Editing Jones County, South Dakota

{{short description|County in South Dakota, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county             = Jones County
 | state              = South Dakota
 | ex image           = JonesCountySD FreierRoundBarn.jpg
 | ex image size      = 300px
 | ex image cap       = [[Freier Round Barn]]
 | type               = [[County (United States)|County]]
 | flag               = 
 | seal               = 
 | logo               = 
 | coordinates        = {{coord|43|57|7.168|N|100|41|10.096|W|region:US-SD_type:county|display=inline}}
 | founded            = 1916 (created)<br/>January 15, 1917 (organized)
 | named for          = [[George Wallace Jones]]
 | seat wl            = Murdo
 | largest city wl    = Murdo
 | area_total_sq_mi   = 970.883
 | area_land_sq_mi    = 969.668
 | area_water_sq_mi   = 1.215
 | area percentage    = 0.1%
 | population_as_of   = 2020
 | population_total   = 917
 | pop_est_as_of      = 2024
 | population_est     = 874 {{decrease}}
 | density_sq_mi      = 0.882
 | time zone          = Central
 | district           = At-large
 | website            = 
}}

'''Jones County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[South Dakota]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 917,<ref name="2020 Census (City)">{{cite web|title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Jones_County,_South_Dakota?g=050XX00US46075 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=March 22, 2025}}</ref> making it the least populous county in South Dakota. Its [[county seat]] is [[Murdo, South Dakota|Murdo]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Find a County |url=https://ce.naco.org/?find=true |publisher=[[National Association of Counties]] |access-date=March 21, 2025}}</ref> Created in 1916 and organized in 1917, it is the most recently established county in South Dakota.
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/DAKs_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|title=Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies|website=Dakota Territory Atlas of Historical County Boundaries|publisher=The [[Newberry Library]]|date=2006|access-date=March 30, 2015|archive-date=April 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402202102/http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/DAKs_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
It was named after Granville Whittington Jones, an Arkansas-born clergyman/lawyer, who moved to Chamberlain, SD and became a noted Chautauqua speaker.

==Geography==
The terrain of Jones County consists of semi-arid rolling hills, partially devoted to agriculture. The [[Bad River (South Dakota)|Bad River]] flows north easterly through the northwest corner of the county, and the [[White River (Missouri River tributary)|White River]] forms the county's southern boundary. The southern areas of the county are carved with gullies and drainages flowing to the White River.<ref name="JCSD">{{Cite web |title=Jones County · South Dakota |url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Jones+County,+SD/@43.9789558,-100.7182794,9z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x877f817112de49e5:0xb915afd257c862b4!8m2!3d43.9715804!4d-100.7097867 |access-date=April 27, 2024 |website=Google Maps |language=en}}</ref> The terrain generally slopes to the northeast, and its highest point is on the lower western boundary, at {{convert|2,444|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |title="Find an Altitude"  Google Maps (accessed February 4, 2019) |access-date=February 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521043409/https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |archive-date=May 21, 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|970.883|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|969.668|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1.215|sqmi}} (0.1%) is water.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2024 County Gazetteer Files – South Dakota|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_gaz_counties_46.txt|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=March 21, 2025}}</ref> It is the _th largest county in South Dakota by total area.

The eastern portion of South Dakota's counties (48 of 66) observe [[Central Time Zone|Central Time]]; the western counties (18 of 66) observe [[Mountain Time Zone|Mountain Time]]. Jones County is one of the SD counties to observe Central Time.<ref>[http://www.timebie.com/us/south_dakota.php Map of Time Zone Line through South Dakota (accessed January 30, 2019)]</ref>

===Major highways===
* [[Image:I-90.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 90 in South Dakota|Interstate 90]]
* [[Image:US 83.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 83 in South Dakota|U.S. Highway 83]]

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col|colwidth=33em}}
* [[Stanley County, South Dakota|Stanley County]] - north
* [[Lyman County, South Dakota|Lyman County]] - east
* [[Mellette County, South Dakota|Mellette County]] - south
* [[Jackson County, South Dakota|Jackson County]] - southwest (observes [[Mountain Time Zone|Mountain Time]])
* [[Haakon County, South Dakota|Haakon County]] - northwest (observes Mountain Time)
{{div col end}}

===Protected area===
* Buxcel State Game Production Area
* [[Fort Pierre National Grassland]] (part)

===Lakes===
* Sheriff Reservoir<ref name=JCSD/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1920= 3004
|1930= 3177
|1940= 2509
|1950= 2281
|1960= 2066
|1970= 1882
|1980= 1463
|1990= 1324
|2000= 1193
|2010= 1006
|2020= 917
|estyear=2024
|estimate=874
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2024">{{cite web|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |access-date=March 15, 2025}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=July 20, 2014}}</ref><br>1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |publisher=University of Virginia Library |url-status=live |date=2007 |access-date=July 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091212224028/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/ |archive-date=December 12, 2009}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|last=Forstall |first=Richard L. |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/sd190090.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url-status=live |date=March 27, 1995 |access-date=July 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990219135447/http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/sd190090.txt |archive-date=February 19, 1999}}</ref><br>1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=live |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=July 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/jonescountysouthdakota/PST045223|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 21, 2024}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], there were 917 people, 399 households, and 245 families residing in the county.<ref>{{Cite web|title=US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Jones%20County,%20South%20Dakota%20p16&y=2020 |access-date=March 21, 2024 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> The [[population density]] was {{convert|0.9|PD/sqmi}}. There were 504 housing units.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]], there were 1,006 people, 458 households, and 280 families in the county. The population density was {{convert|1.0|PD/sqmi}}. There were 589 housing units at an average density of {{convert|0.6|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 95.6% white, 2.0% American Indian, 0.4% Pacific islander, 0.1% black or African American, 0.0% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 48.8% were [[Germans|German]], 15.9% were [[Irish people|Irish]], 10.2% were [[Norwegians|Norwegian]], 9.0% were [[Dutch people|Dutch]], and 1.9% were [[Americans|American]].

In terms of ancestry in 2016, 39.1% were of [[Germans|German]], 14.3% were of [[Irish people|Irish]], 13.9% were of [[Norwegians|Norwegian]], 11.4% were of [[Dutch people|Dutch]], 6.4% were of [[English people|English]], 6.2 were of [[French people|French]].

Of the 458 households, 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.9% were non-families, and 35.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.86. The median age was 46.9 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $49,464 and the median income for a family was $56,589. Males had a median income of $33,021 versus $27,115 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,630. About 6.6% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.

==Communities==
===City===
* [[Murdo, South Dakota|Murdo]] (county seat)

===Town===
* [[Draper, South Dakota|Draper]]

===Census-designated place===
* [[Okaton, South Dakota|Okaton]]

===Unincorporated community===
* [[Capa, South Dakota|Capa]]

===Townships===
{{div col|colwidth=28em}}
* Buffalo
* Draper
* Dunkel
* Grandview
* Kolls
* Morga
* Mullen
* Mussman
* Okaton
* Scovil
* South Creek
* Williams Creek
* [[Zickrick Township, Jones County, South Dakota|Zickrick]]
{{div col end}}

===Unorganized territories===
{{div col|colwidth=33em}}
* Central Jones
* North Jones
* Rich Valley
* Westover
{{div col end}}

==Politics==
Jones County voters have been reliably Republican. The last Democrat to carry Jones County in a Presidential election was [[Lyndon Johnson]] in 1964, and [[Jimmy Carter]] in 1976 was the last to top one third of the county's ballots. Even before the Democratic Party turned towards its modern liberalism, Jones County did not vote for any Democrat except LBJ and Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 and 1936 – and in the latter election when Roosevelt won 46 of 48 states he beat [[Alf Landon]] in Jones County by just twelve votes.
{{PresHead|place=Jones County, South Dakota|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=April 15, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|477|60|13|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|498|90|11|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|450|69|39|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|490|108|11|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|463|147|17|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|565|134|18|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|509|137|18|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|463|184|82|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|454|166|159|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|521|261|4|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|689|206|4|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|689|189|41|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|515|374|1|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|642|346|9|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|562|358|88|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|415|548|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|644|423|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|601|471|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|739|323|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|522|414|12|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|465|264|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|832|508|0|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|608|620|36|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|472|929|54|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|857|422|11|South Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|732|141|447|South Dakota}}
{{PresFoot|1920|Republican|609|255|113|South Dakota}}

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Jones County, South Dakota]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Jones County, South Dakota
|North     = [[Stanley County, South Dakota|Stanley County]]
|East      = [[Lyman County, South Dakota|Lyman County]]
|South     = [[Mellette County, South Dakota|Mellette County]]
|Southwest = [[Jackson County, South Dakota|Jackson County]]
|Northwest = [[Haakon County, South Dakota|Haakon County]]
}}

{{Jones County, South Dakota}}
{{South Dakota}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Jones County, South Dakota| ]]
[[Category:1917 establishments in South Dakota]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1917]]