Tripp County is a county in South Dakota, United States, bounded on the south by the Nebraska state line and drained by the White River along its northern edge. It had a population of 5,624 at the 2020 census and covers 1,618 square miles (4,190 km2), of which 5.1 square miles (13 km2) is water, centred near 43°20′N 99°53′W.
Winner is the county seat and its postal code is 57580. The county holds 2 incorporated cities, 1 town, 2 census-designated places and several unincorporated communities. It runs on Central Time and observes Central Daylight Time in summer.
Towns & Villages in Tripp County
Tripp County has five ZIP-served communities plus a handful of smaller unincorporated places along its rail and river corridors. Colome and Winner are incorporated cities, New Witten is an incorporated town, Hamill and Ideal are census-designated places, and the rest are unincorporated.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | City · seat | 2,921 | 57580 |
| Colome | City | 331 | 57528 |
| New Witten | Town | — | 57584 |
| Hamill | CDP | — | 57534 |
| Ideal | CDP | — | 57541 |
| Carter | Unincorp. | — | 57580 |
| Clearfield | Unincorp. | — | 57580 |
| Jordan Junction | Unincorp. | — | 57580 |
| Keyapaha | Unincorp. | — | 57580 |
| Millboro | Unincorp. | — | 57584 |
| Wewela | Unincorp. | — | 57580 |
| Witten | Unincorp. | — | 57584 |
New Witten and the older townsite of Witten are two distinct places a few miles apart; the community listed here as “Witten” refers to the original unincorporated site, not the incorporated town of New Witten that succeeded it after a 1990s relocation off the flood-prone river bottom.
ZIP Codes
- 57580 — Winner (also serves Carter, Clearfield, Jordan Junction, Keyapaha, Wewela)
- 57528 — Colome
- 57534 — Hamill
- 57541 — Ideal
- 57584 — Witten (also serves New Witten and Millboro)
Five ZIP codes cover the county; smaller unincorporated places share the delivery ZIP of their nearest post office rather than carrying their own.
Geography
Tripp County sits on rolling hills cut by gullies and drainages, sloping generally south and east, with its highest point on the lower west boundary at 2,552 feet (778 meters). The White River meanders along the county’s northern edge and the Keya Paha River crosses the southeastern corner. Tripp County borders Lyman County to the north, Gregory County to the east, Todd County to the west, Mellette County to the northwest, and Keya Paha and Cherry counties in Nebraska to the south.
Neighboring South Dakota counties: Lyman County (north), Gregory County (east), Todd County (west) and Mellette County (northwest). Keya Paha County and Cherry County, Nebraska, lie across the state line to the south.
Demographics
Tripp County had 5,624 residents at the 2020 census. Winner is by far the largest community, home to just over half the county’s population, followed by Colome. Median household income runs below the South Dakota median of $71,810, typical of the county’s agricultural, low-density economy. Population density is about 3.5 people per square mile, one of the lower densities among South Dakota’s organized counties.
Economy & Local Life
Cattle ranching and small-grain farming anchor the county’s economy, with Winner serving as the regional trade and medical hub for a wide swath of south-central South Dakota. Winner Regional Health Care is the area’s main employer outside agriculture, and the Winner School District serves most of the county. The annual Days of ’76 rodeo tradition and county fair draw visitors from across the region each summer.
History
Tripp County was created by the territorial legislature in 1873 and organized as a county government in 1909, after the Rosebud Indian Reservation’s western lands were opened to homestead settlement. It is named for Bartlett Tripp, a South Dakota Territory chief justice, lawyer and diplomat. On May 8, 1965, an F5 tornado tore through the county — the only tornado of that intensity ever recorded in South Dakota.
Getting There
US Highways 18 and 183 and South Dakota Highways 44, 49 and 53 cross the county, meeting at Winner. Reference distances from Winner:
- Valentine, Nebraska — 60 miles south
- Chamberlain, South Dakota — 65 miles northeast
- Mission, South Dakota — 30 miles west
- Sioux Falls, South Dakota — 180 miles east
Winner Regional Airport offers general aviation service; the nearest commercial airport is Rapid City Regional Airport, roughly 190 miles west.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Tripp County, South Dakota?
It sits in south-central South Dakota on the Nebraska border, roughly 180 miles west of Sioux Falls.
What is the population of Tripp County?
5,624 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Tripp County?
1,618 square miles (4,190 km2), including 5.1 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Tripp County?
Winner is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns and communities are in Tripp County?
Two incorporated cities, one incorporated town, two census-designated places and several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Tripp County?
57580 (Winner), 57528 (Colome), 57534 (Hamill), 57541 (Ideal) and 57584 (Witten).
Why is Tripp County named that?
It honors Bartlett Tripp, a 19th-century South Dakota Territory chief justice and diplomat.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in South Dakota.