Buffalo County, South Dakota
| Buffalo County, South Dakota | |
|---|---|
 Location in the U.S. state of South Dakota |
|
 South Dakota's location in the U.S. |
|
| Founded | 1871 |
| Named for | American buffalo |
| Seat | Gann Valley |
| Largest community | Fort Thompson |
| Area | |
| • Total | 488 sq mi (1,264 km2) |
| • Land | 471 sq mi (1,220 km2) |
| • Water | 16 sq mi (41 km2), 3.4% |
| Population (est.) | |
| • (2015) | 2,095 |
| • Density | 4.1/sq mi (2/km²) |
| Congressional district | At-large |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
Buffalo County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,912. Its county seat is Gann Valley which, at 14 people, is the least populous county seat in the United States. The county was created in 1864 and organized in 1871 as part of the Dakota Territory.
In 2010, the center of population of South Dakota was located in eastern Buffalo County. The Crow Creek Indian Reservation inhabited by the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe makes up the majority of Buffalo County.
According to the 2013 Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) of the Bureau of the Census, about 41% of county residents live in poverty, making it the fifth-poorest county in South Dakota. This is a far higher poverty rate than the national poverty rate, which is 15.8%.Median household income in 2013 was $21,572, making it the lowest-earning county in South Dakota and the United States.
In March 2015, the unemployment rate was 8.5%; its ten-year peaks occurred in December 2006 (18.%) and December 2009 (17.2%). Many homes lack kitchens and indoor plumbing.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 488 square miles (1,260 km2), of which 471 square miles (1,220 km2) is land and 16 square miles (41 km2) (3.4%) is water.
As first organized, the county occupied an extensive area, bounded on the north by Canada, southwest and west by the Missouri River, having Montana for a part of its northwest boundary, and comprising a large portion of the “Plateau du Coteau du Missouri,” and a part of the Miniwakan or Devil's Lake. While this does expand into modern-day North Dakota, this conundrum can be solved by realizing that the county was created in 1864, 25 years before the Dakota Territory was split into North and South Dakota.
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