Jackson County is a county in South Dakota, United States, on the western edge of the Badlands, part of it lying inside the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. It had a population of 2,806 at the 2020 census and covers 1,871 square miles (4,850 km2) centred near 43°42′N 101°38′W.
Kadoka is the county seat and its postal code is 57543. The county has one city, three towns, one census-designated place and several unincorporated communities. It runs on Mountain Time and shares its Interstate 90 corridor with Badlands National Park’s eastern gateway.
Towns & Villages in Jackson County
Jackson County has one incorporated city, three incorporated towns, one census-designated place (Wanblee) and a scatter of unincorporated communities strung along the White River and I-90. About 57% of the county’s land base sits within the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kadoka | City · seat | 543 | 57543 |
| Wanblee | CDP | 674 | 57577 |
| Interior | Town | 65 | 57750 |
| Belvidere | Town | 46 | 57521 |
| Cottonwood | Town | 12 | — |
| Long Valley | Unincorp. | — | 57547 |
| Cactus Flat | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hisle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kadoka Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Philip Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Potato Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sevenmile Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stamford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Weta | Unincorp. | — | — |
Kadoka Junction, Philip Junction and Sevenmile Corner are highway-crossing hamlets rather than platted towns, and the U.S. Census Bureau does not publish standalone population figures for them.
ZIP Codes
- 57543 — Kadoka (also serves the surrounding I-90 corridor)
- 57577 — Wanblee
- 57750 — Interior
- 57521 — Belvidere
- 57547 — Long Valley
Cottonwood, Cactus Flat, Hisle, Potato Creek, Stamford and Weta have no post office of their own and are served by a neighbouring ZIP.
Geography
Jackson County’s terrain rises from rolling grassland in the east to Badlands buttes and eroded ridgeline in the west and south; the highest point, a ridge near the southwest corner, reaches 3,274 feet (998 meters). The White River crosses the county west to east, carving a meandering channel through the mixed-grass prairie, and the county’s eastern portion of Badlands National Park sits along its western edge. Of the county’s 1,871 square miles, 1,864 square miles are land and 7.4 square miles (0.4%) are water.
Jackson County borders Haakon County to the north, Jones County to the northeast, Mellette County to the east, Todd County to the southeast, Bennett County to the south, Oglala Lakota County to the southwest, and Pennington County to the northwest.
Demographics
Jackson County had 2,806 residents at the 2020 census. Wanblee (674) and Kadoka (543) are its two largest communities. Median household income in the county runs well below the South Dakota median of $71,810, reflecting the reservation and ranching economy of the western county. Population density is roughly 1.5 people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Cattle ranching and hay production dominate the county’s private-sector economy, alongside tourism tied to Badlands National Park and the Buffalo Gap National Grassland, both of which reach into the county. Government, tribal administration and the Kadoka school district are major employers around the county seat, while Wanblee’s economy is closely tied to Oglala Sioux Tribe services on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
History
Jackson County was created in 1883 and organized in 1915. In 1983 it absorbed neighboring Washabaugh County, whose county seat had been Wanblee — Wanblee remains the county’s largest community today, a legacy of that 1983 merger. The county’s badlands terrain and White River corridor drew ranching settlement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries after railroad expansion reached the region.
Getting There
Interstate 90 runs east–west through the northern part of the county, with U.S. Highway 14 and South Dakota Highways 44, 63, 73 and 377 serving the rest.
- Rapid City — 90 miles west
- Pierre — 95 miles northeast
- Badlands National Park (Interior entrance) — on the county’s western edge
- Winner — 70 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Rapid City Regional Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Jackson County, South Dakota?
It sits in west-central South Dakota, on the eastern edge of Badlands National Park, about 90 miles east of Rapid City.
What is the population of Jackson County?
2,806 at the 2020 census.
How big is Jackson County?
1,871 square miles (4,850 km2), of which 1,864 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Jackson County?
Kadoka is the county seat.
How many towns are in Jackson County?
One city (Kadoka), three towns (Belvidere, Cottonwood, Interior), one census-designated place (Wanblee) and several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Jackson County?
57543 (Kadoka), 57577 (Wanblee), 57750 (Interior), 57521 (Belvidere) and 57547 (Long Valley).
Why did Wanblee become larger than the county seat?
Wanblee was the seat of Washabaugh County until that county merged into Jackson County in 1983; its role as a Pine Ridge Indian Reservation community center has kept it the county’s largest population center.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in South Dakota.