| County: | Beadle County |
| State: | South Dakota |
| Ex Image: | Huron, SD, Chicago-Northwestern roundhouse, turntable 2.jpg |
| Ex Image Size: | 220px |
| Ex Image Cap: | Chicago and Northwestern roundhouse in Huron, South Dakota. |
| Founded Year: | 1879 (created) 1880 (organized) |
| Seat Wl: | Huron |
| Largest City: | Huron |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 1265 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 1259 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 6.1 |
| Area Percentage: | 0.5 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 19149 |
| Pop Est As Of: | 2023 |
| Population Est: | 19591 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Time Zone: | Central |
| Web: | http://beadle.sdcounties.org/ |
| District: | At-large |
Beadle County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,149, making it the 11th most populous county in South Dakota.[1] Its county seat is Huron.[2] The county was created in 1879 and organized in 1880.[3] Beadle County comprises the Huron, SD Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Beadle County, named for Brigadier General William Henry Harrison Beadle,[4] was created by the Dakota Territory Legislature in 1879, and was organized in 1880 with the appointment of three county commissioners by Governor Nehemiah G. Ordway. The first town within Beadle County was Cavour, but Huron was named the county seat when the county commissioners first met there in July 1880.
The James River flows south-southeastward through the eastern central part of Beadle County.[5] The terrain of Beadle County consists of low rolling hills, sloping toward the river valley. The county's highest point is its SW corner, at 1841feet ASL. Its lowest point is on the south boundary line, where James River flows into adjacent Sanborn County, at 1230feet ASL.[6]
The county has a total area of, of which is land and (0.5%) is water.[7]
As of the 2020 census, there were 19,149 people, 7,369 households, and 4,623 families residing in the county.[8] The population density was . There were 8,396 housing units.
As of the 2010 census, there were 17,398 people, 7,276 households, and 4,509 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 8,304 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 89.7% white, 3.6% Asian, 1.1% American Indian, 0.8% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 3.0% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 7.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 45.4% were German, 11.7% were Norwegian, 10.3% were Irish, 8.8% were English, and 4.1% were American.
Of the 7,276 households, 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.0% were non-families, and 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age was 41.2 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,716 and the median income for a family was $56,288. Males had a median income of $37,020 versus $25,824 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,409. About 6.3% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.
Beadle County has become more Republican in recent history. In 2000, George W. Bush won the county, ending a streak of Democratic-majority voting that began in 1990.
School districts include:[9]