Marshall County is a county in South Dakota, United States, on the North Dakota border. It had a population of 4,306 at the 2020 census and covers 886 square miles (2,290 km2) of land and water, centred near 45°46′N 97°36′W.
Britton is the county seat, and its postal code is 57430. The county has two incorporated cities, three towns, and several unincorporated communities. Marshall County observes Central time.
Towns & Villages in Marshall County
Marshall County has two incorporated cities — Britton (the county seat) and Veblen — plus the towns of Eden, Lake City and Langford. The rest of the entries below are unincorporated communities, several of which are Hutterite colonies.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Britton | City · seat | — | 57430 |
| Veblen | City | — | 57270 |
| Eden | Town | — | 57232 |
| Lake City | Town | — | 57247 |
| Langford | Town | — | 57454 |
| Amherst | Unincorp. | — | 57421 |
| Clear Lake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hillhead | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kidder | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Marlow | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Newark | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Newport Colony | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spain | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sunset Colony | Unincorp. | — | — |
| West Britton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Westwood Colony | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 57430 — Britton (also serves Hillhead, Newark, Spain)
- 57270 — Veblen (also serves West Britton, Sunset Colony)
- 57454 — Langford
- 57232 — Eden
- 57247 — Lake City (also serves Marlow, Newport Colony, Westwood Colony)
- 57421 — Amherst
Kidder has no ZIP code of its own; mail there is generally routed through a neighboring town’s post office.
Geography
Marshall County sits on a rolling glacial plain marked by numerous small lakes and ponds, concentrated in the southeastern part of the county. The land slopes toward the northeast, and the highest point, at 2,034 feet (620 meters), lies near the county’s southeast corner. Crow Creek, a tributary of the James River, and the Wild Rice River, a tributary of the Red River of the North, drain the county, and the eastern part of the county contains a portion of the Lake Traverse Indian Reservation.
The county’s neighbors are Richland County, North Dakota and Sargent County, North Dakota to the north, Roberts County to the east, Day County to the south, and Brown County to the west.
Demographics
Marshall County had 4,306 residents at the 2020 census, spread across 838 square miles of land for a density of roughly 5 people per square mile. Britton, the county seat, is by far the largest community, followed by Veblen. Census figures for individual towns and unincorporated places were not independently verified for this profile. Marshall County’s median household income runs well below the South Dakota median of $71,810, reflecting the county’s small, largely agricultural population base.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture drives Marshall County’s economy, with grain and livestock operations dominating the rolling farmland outside Britton. Corn, soybeans, wheat and sunflowers are the principal row crops, and cattle grazing fills out the county’s income base in years when grain prices soften. Several Hutterite colonies — including Newport, Sunset and Westwood — farm communally within the county and are significant local landholders, running their own grain and livestock operations separate from family farms. Britton serves as the county’s retail, medical and school hub for the surrounding farm towns, with the county’s clinic, bank branches and Britton School District all based there. The county’s many small lakes also draw seasonal fishing and lake-cabin traffic from the wider region each summer.
History
Marshall County was established on May 2, 1885, and named for Marshall Vincent, an early settler who homesteaded near Andover, South Dakota. The county took shape during the Dakota Territory homestead era, when rail lines and land offices drew settlers onto the rolling prairie of what is now northeastern South Dakota. Britton grew up along the rail line as the county’s trade center and has kept that role ever since, while smaller depot towns such as Eden, Langford and Veblen grew up as grain-shipping points for the surrounding farmland. Several of the county’s Hutterite colonies were established later, in the twentieth century, as communal farming operations bought up land near existing rural crossroads.
Getting There
U.S. Route 12 runs through the southern part of the county, and state highways connect Britton to its outlying towns.
- Aberdeen, SD — 45 miles southwest
- Watertown, SD — 60 miles south
- Fargo, ND — 90 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Aberdeen Regional Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Marshall County, South Dakota?
It sits on South Dakota’s northern border with North Dakota, between Brown County to the west and Roberts County to the east.
What is the population of Marshall County?
4,306 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Marshall County?
886 square miles (2,290 km2), including 48 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Marshall County?
Britton is the county seat.
How many towns are in Marshall County?
Two incorporated cities (Britton and Veblen) and three incorporated towns (Eden, Lake City and Langford), plus several unincorporated communities and Hutterite colonies.
What ZIP codes are in Marshall County?
57430 (Britton), 57270 (Veblen), 57454 (Langford), 57232 (Eden), 57247 (Lake City) and 57421 (Amherst).
What lakes are in Marshall County?
The southeastern part of the county holds numerous small glacial lakes and ponds, part of the terrain that also gives Lake City its name.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in South Dakota.