Lincoln County, South Dakota

Lincoln is a county in South Dakota, United States, forming the southeastern suburban edge of the Sioux Falls metropolitan area along the Big Sioux River. It had a population of 65,161 at the 2020 census and covers 578 square miles (1,500 km2) centred near 43°18′N 96°48′W.

Canton is the county seat, and its postal code is 57013. The county has six incorporated cities and towns plus several unincorporated communities. Lincoln County is part of the Sioux Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area and runs on Central Time.

Towns & Villages in Lincoln County

Lincoln County has six incorporated cities, plus a handful of small unincorporated places along its country roads and rail lines. The southern and eastern edges of Sioux Falls itself extend into the county. Unincorp. below marks a place with no city government.

Beresford and Sioux Falls both straddle county lines: most of Beresford sits across the line in Union and Turner counties, and most of Sioux Falls sits in Minnehaha County, with only their outer edges reaching into Lincoln County. Moe, Naomi, Norway Center and Shindler are small rural crossroads communities with no post office of their own; mail there is addressed through the nearest listed ZIP.

ZIP Codes

• 57013 — Canton
• 57032 — Harrisburg
• 57064 — Tea
• 57039 — Lennox
• 57077 — Worthing
• 57034 — Hudson
• 57027 — Fairview
• 57108 — the Lincoln County edge of Sioux Falls

Moe, Naomi, Norway Center and Shindler have no ZIP code of their own and use mail service from the nearest listed post office town.

Geography

Lincoln County’s terrain is low rolling hills given over mostly to row-crop agriculture, sloping southeast toward the Big Sioux River valley that forms the county’s entire eastern edge. Of the county’s 578 square miles, 577 square miles are land and about half a square mile is water.

The Big Sioux River marks the state line with Iowa’s Lyon and Sioux counties to the east. Within South Dakota, Lincoln County borders Minnehaha County to the north, Turner County to the west, Clay County to the southwest, and Union County to the south.

Demographics

Lincoln County’s population was 65,161 at the 2020 census, the third-highest of South Dakota’s 66 counties, driven by Sioux Falls’ southward suburban growth. Harrisburg and Tea are the county’s two largest towns outside Canton, both largely built up since 2000 as Sioux Falls commuter suburbs. Density works out to roughly 113 people per square mile, well above the state average. Median household income has not been independently verified for this county; South Dakota’s statewide 2023 ACS median is $71,810, and Lincoln County — a high-income Sioux Falls suburb belt — is understood to run above it.

Economy & Local Life

Lincoln County’s economy is anchored by its role as bedroom-community territory for Sioux Falls, with agriculture (corn and soybeans) still dominant on the county’s open land away from the growing towns. Harrisburg and Tea have both added retail and light-industrial development along the Interstate 29 corridor. Canton hosts the Lincoln County Fair and is home to the Canton Chargers school district.

History

Lincoln County was organized on December 30, 1867, and named for Abraham Lincoln. It is one of South Dakota’s original Dakota Territory-era counties, settled through the late 1860s and 1870s as Union Pacific-era rail lines and homestead farming pushed west from the Big Sioux River. Its population held roughly steady through most of the 20th century before accelerating sharply from the 1990s onward as Sioux Falls expanded south across the county line.

Getting There

Interstate 29 runs north-south through the county’s western half, with Interstate 229 clipping its northeast corner near Sioux Falls; U.S. Highway 18 and South Dakota Highways 11, 17, 44, 46 and 115 cover the rest.

• Sioux Falls — adjoining, immediately north
• Vermillion — about 30 miles south
• Yankton — about 45 miles southwest
• Sioux City, Iowa — about 45 miles southeast

The nearest commercial airport is Sioux Falls Regional Airport, just north of the county line.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Lincoln County, South Dakota?
It sits in the southeastern corner of the state, immediately south of Sioux Falls, with the Big Sioux River forming its eastern border against Iowa.

What is the population of Lincoln County?
65,161 as of the 2020 census, the third-highest county population in South Dakota.

How big is Lincoln County?
578 square miles (1,500 km2), of which 577 square miles are land.

What is the county seat of Lincoln County?
Canton is the county seat.

How many towns are in Lincoln County?
Six incorporated cities — Canton, Harrisburg, Tea, Lennox, Worthing and Beresford (partial) — plus several unincorporated communities.

What ZIP codes are in Lincoln County?
57013 (Canton), 57032 (Harrisburg), 57064 (Tea), 57039 (Lennox), 57077 (Worthing), 57034 (Hudson) and 57027 (Fairview), plus the Lincoln County edge of Sioux Falls (57108).

Why is it called Lincoln County?
It was named for Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. president, when organized in 1867.

More counties in this state: Towns and villages in South Dakota.