Lawrence County, South Dakota

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Lawrence County
U.S. county
Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota
South Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	South Dakota
Founded	1875
Seat	Deadwood
Area
• Total	800 sq mi (2,000 km2)
• Land	800 sq mi (2,000 km2)
• Water	0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	25,968
• Density	32.5/sq mi (12.5/km2)
Website	www.lawrence.sd.us

Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,968. Its county seat is Deadwood. The county was established in 1875 and named for John Lawrence, a prominent pioneer in the area.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 800 square miles (2,100 km²), of which 800 square miles (2,100 km²) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km²) (0.03%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Butte County (north)
• Meade County (east)
• Pennington County (southeast)
• Crook County, Wyoming (west)

National protected areas

• Black Hills National Forest (part)
• Jewel Cave National Monument (part)

Demographics

As of the census of 2020, there were 25,968 people, 10,000 households, and 6,000 families residing in the county. The population density was 32.5 people per square mile (12.5/km²). There were 12,000 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (5.8/km²).

Communities

Cities

• Deadwood
• Lead
• Spearfish

Towns

• Central City
• Whitewood

Census-designated places

• St. Onge

Unincorporated communities

• Roubaix
• Terry

Education

Lawrence County is served by several school districts, including the Spearfish School District and the Lead-Deadwood School District.

Economy

The economy of Lawrence County is diverse, with significant contributions from tourism, mining, and education. The Black Hills State University in Spearfish is a major educational institution in the county.

History

Lawrence County was established in 1875 during the Black Hills Gold Rush. The discovery of gold in the area led to rapid population growth and the establishment of several towns, including Deadwood and Lead.

See also

• List of counties in South Dakota
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Lawrence County, South Dakota