Edmunds County is a county in South Dakota, United States, on the Missouri Coteau of the northern plains. It had a population of 3,986 at the 2020 census and covers 1,151 square miles (2,980 km2) centred near 45°25′N 99°13′W.
Ipswich is the county seat, and its postal code is 57451. The county has four incorporated cities and several unincorporated communities, including three Hutterite colonies. It observes Central time and shares a border with six other South Dakota counties.
Towns & Villages in Edmunds County
Edmunds County has four incorporated cities and a handful of unincorporated places, including three Hutterite colonies. Unincorp. below covers places with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ipswich | City · seat | — | 57451 |
| Bowdle | City | — | 57428 |
| Roscoe | City | — | 57471 |
| Hosmer | City | — | 57448 |
| Mina | Unincorp. | — | 57451 |
| Deerfield Colony | Unincorp. | — | 57428 |
| Pembrook Colony | Unincorp. | — | 57471 |
| Plainview Colony | Unincorp. | — | 57448 |
Craven and Craven Corner and Loyalton and Powell and Gretna and Beebe were early rail-era or post-office sites that no longer function as active settlements; they are historical names rather than present-day communities and are not listed in the table above.
ZIP Codes
- 57451 — Ipswich (also serves Mina)
- 57428 — Bowdle (also serves Deerfield Colony)
- 57471 — Roscoe (also serves Pembrook Colony)
- 57448 — Hosmer (also serves Plainview Colony)
Edmunds County has four ZIP codes in total, one per incorporated city, and every unincorporated place uses the ZIP of its nearest post-office town.
Geography
Edmunds County sits on the Missouri Coteau, a belt of rolling, glacially formed hills dotted with small lakes and wetlands across the northern plains. Farmland and pasture cover most of the county, and Mina Lake, a reservoir near the community of Mina, is the largest body of water. Edmunds County is bordered by McPherson County to the north, Brown County to the east, Faulk County to the south, Potter County to the southwest, and Walworth County to the west.
Live neighbor pages: McPherson County, Brown County, Faulk County, and Potter County. Walworth County to the west does not yet have a verified live page under its South Dakota slug.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 3,986 residents in Edmunds County, giving a density of about 3.6 people per square mile. Ipswich and Bowdle are the county’s two largest communities. Household income in the county runs below the South Dakota median of $71,810, typical of the county’s farm-dependent economy.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture drives the county’s economy, with wheat, corn, soybeans, and cattle ranching dominant across the Coteau’s rolling farmland. Ipswich functions as the county’s trade center, with the county courthouse, schools, and local grain elevators. The three Hutterite colonies — Deerfield, Pembrook, and Plainview — run large communal farming and livestock operations that are a significant part of the county’s agricultural output.
History
Edmunds County was created in 1873 and organized in 1883, named for Newton Edmunds, the second governor of Dakota Territory. Settlement followed the rail lines built across the Coteau in the 1880s, and towns such as Ipswich, Bowdle, Roscoe, and Hosmer grew up as station and shipping points on those lines. In October 1999, a Learjet carrying golfer Payne Stewart crashed near Mina after losing cabin pressure, killing all six aboard — the county’s best-known modern historical event.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 12 crosses the county east–west through Ipswich and Bowdle, with South Dakota Highways 45, 47, 247, and 253 providing north–south links.
- Aberdeen — 40 miles east
- Mobridge — 45 miles west
- Pierre — 75 miles southwest
- Redfield — 45 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Aberdeen Regional Airport, about 40 miles east of Ipswich.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Edmunds County, South Dakota?
It lies in north-central South Dakota, on the Missouri Coteau, between Aberdeen and the Missouri River.
What is the population of Edmunds County?
3,986 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Edmunds County?
1,151 square miles (2,980 km2), one of the larger counties in the state by land area relative to its population.
What is the county seat of Edmunds County?
Ipswich is the county seat.
How many towns are in Edmunds County?
Four incorporated cities — Ipswich, Bowdle, Roscoe, and Hosmer — plus several unincorporated places and three Hutterite colonies.
What ZIP codes are in Edmunds County?
57451 (Ipswich), 57428 (Bowdle), 57471 (Roscoe), and 57448 (Hosmer).
What happened near Mina in 1999?
A Learjet carrying golfer Payne Stewart crashed near Mina after a loss of cabin pressure, killing Stewart and five others aboard.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in South Dakota.