Formed January 1, 1871 (13th county)
Hanson County (3,462), Alexandria (651)
The brick Modern facility was constructed in 2010 on 5th Street between Walnut and Broad streets. South Dakota State Highway 262 is four blocks south of the courthouse. Herm Harms provided the building designs. The previous courthouse burnt. Veteran memorials are on the grounds. The county was founded on January 1, 1871 as the 13th county with Rockport as the county seat. In 1880 Alexandria became the county seat. The county is named for settler, Joseph R. Hanson. Alexandria is named for railroad officer Alexander Mitchell. He is also the namesake of the county seat of Davison County.
Hanson County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Commissioners. Six Circuit Court Judges and One Magistrate Court Judge serve Hanson, Aurora, Bon Homme, Brule, Buffalo, Charles Mix, Clay, Davison, Douglas, Hutchinson, McCook, Turner, Union and Yankton counties. Hanson County is in the southeast part of the state. Sioux Falls, South Dakota is east and Pierre, South Dakota is northwest of the county. The county center is 2.4 miles Northeast of Alexandria. The county is surrounded clockwise by Miner, McCook, Hutchinson, Davison, and Sanborn counties.
The area of the county is 435 square miles. It is 64 out of 66 in the state. It ranks 44 out of 66 in population in the state. It has a density of 8.0 persons per square mile making it 25 out of 66 in the state. Hanson County has 35.6% of its population in its incorporated areas. Interstate Highway 90 crosses the county from east to west from McCook County to Davison County. The county is a rectangle. Alexandria is located slightly south of center in the county. Alexandria is the county seat and the largest city. It is 18.8% of the county population. This county is in the Mitchell Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Alexandria
Emery
Farmer
Fulton
