Fort Thompson is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, suc ...

(CDP) in Buffalo County,

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes, who comprise a large po ...

, United States. The population was 1,282 at the 2010 census, making it the largest settlement on the

Crow Creek Reservation The Crow Creek Indian Reservation ( dak, Khąǧí wakpá okášpe, '' lkt, Kȟaŋğí Wakpá Oyáŋke''), home to Crow Creek Sioux Tribe ( dak, Khąǧí wakpá oyáte) is located in parts of Buffalo, Hughes, and Hyde counties on the east ban ...

. Fort Thompson was named in honor of Clark W. Thompson, Superintendent of Indian Affairs. USACE Fort Thompson Big Bend Dam

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Geography

Fort Thompson is located at (44.060793, -99.429128). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and (17.98%) is water.

Big Bend Dam Big Bend Dam is a major embankment rolled-earth dam on the Missouri River in Central South Dakota, United States, creating Lake Sharpe. The dam was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of the Pick-Sloan Plan for Missouri w ...

is located just south of Ft. Thompson and impounds

Lake Sharpe Lake Sharpe is a large reservoir impounded by Big Bend Dam on the Missouri River in central South Dakota, United States. The lake has an area of and a maximum depth of . Lake Sharpe is approximately long, with a shoreline of . Lake Sharpe is th ...

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 1,375 people, 325 households, and 265 families residing in the CDP. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 133.5 people per square mile (51.5/km²). There were 355 housing units at an average density of 34.5 per square mile (13.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.36% Native American, 2.62%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 0.07%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, and 0.95% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 0.51% of the population. There were 325 households, out of which 52.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 28.0% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 39.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were non-families. 13.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.18 and the average family size was 4.54. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 45.0% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 14.0% from 45 to 64, and 4.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 20 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $9,191, and the median income for a family was $9,191. Males had a median income of $19,375 versus $18,750 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the CDP was $4,030. About 64.0% of families and 64.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 70.1% of those under age 18 and 58.1% of those age 65 or over.

Poverty

With such high rates of poverty, unemployment, and other negative social indicators, the living conditions found in the town and county are often compared to a

third world The term "Third World" arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either NATO or the Warsaw Pact. The United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Western European nations and their allies represented the " First ...

nation. Accounts of the town report rundown neighborhoods with old newspapers, tin foil, or old sheets covering windows of some homes. The latest census figures show that 21% of houses do not have a kitchen or plumbing. The housing stock is largely overcrowded, with cases of 15 to 20 people living in a modest house. 2000 census figures show that more than 21% of houses are overcrowded. A quarter of the residents do not have an automobile and have to walk or bicycle very long distances to work or services in the low density area.http://www.dataplace.org/area_overview/Fort%20Thompson,%20SD?category=2

References

External links

{{Authority control Census-designated places in Buffalo County, South Dakota Census-designated places in South Dakota Dakota South Dakota populated places on the Missouri River

Geography

Demographics

Poverty

See also

References

External links