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Yankton, South Dakota

10 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1955 and the latest in 1985. It stands in Yankton City. It lies in ZIP code area 57078. It lies near Green Island (historical). The Survey maps it on the Gavins Point Dam quadrangle. 15,411 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,211 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Yankton within Yankton County

On record in Yankton

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 12 of 35 shown

Every listing in Yankton County

Population over time

3 figures

Yankton grew from 3,431 to 15,411 between 1880 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
18803,431
201014,454
202015,411+957 (+7%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

5 surveys from 10 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

43 since 1999

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 43 fires within 5 miles of Yankton between 1999 and 2017, burning about 183 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined23
Debris and open burning9
Smoking4
Equipment and vehicle use3
Fireworks2
Power generation/transmission/distribution2

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
2 September 2012Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresSouth Dakota Wildland Fire SuppressionWINTER FIRE
5 August 2012Missing data/not specified/undetermined4.0 acresSouth Dakota Wildland Fire SuppressionMOOSE FIRE
4 August 2012Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreSouth Dakota Wildland Fire SuppressionTURMAN FIRE
3 July 2012Missing data/not specified/undetermined5.0 acresSouth Dakota Wildland Fire SuppressionBINDER RIDGE
24 July 2012Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresSouth Dakota Wildland Fire SuppressionSTATE 50 1
22 July 2012Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreSouth Dakota Wildland Fire SuppressionBELFAST STREET FIRE
2 July 2012Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreSouth Dakota Wildland Fire SuppressionWEST 23 STREET
17 July 2012Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresSouth Dakota Wildland Fire SuppressionTRAIL FIRE

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Yankton County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 15 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 15 workings within 5 miles of Yankton: 9 past producers, 6 producers. 6 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Crushed/Broken. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Western Portland Cement Co QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Bohlmann Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Crosley Sand & Gravel Pit & PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every working recorded in Yankton County

Storms near this place

60 of 108 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Yankton in 108 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 67 hail, 27 thunderstorm wind, 6 flash flood, 4 lightning. The reports record 2 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
May 2007Tornado (EF1)Yankton1 hurt, $100,000A tornado damaged two homes, including one roof taken off, destroyed a garage, and caused tree damage. One camper at Lewis and Clark Recreation Area was injured when thrown into trees.
June 2021Thunderstorm WindYankton1 hurt, $1,000Thunderstorm winds toppled a large tree at the Marne Creek Apartments on the west edge of Yankton. An elderly man was (directly) injured when the tree fell near the building entrance. The man was taken to a local hospital to recover from injuries. Property damage costs are a rough estimate.
July 2009HailYankton$3,000,000Large hail broke windows, damaged vehicles, and damaged trees.
August 2011Thunderstorm WindYankton$500,000Thunderstorm winds caused widespread tree damage, including numerous trees blown down. Some homes were damaged by falling trees or tree debris. The winds drove hail that was up to golf ball size, and with the hail contributed to crop damage in the area.
July 2004Thunderstorm WindYankton$200,000Thunderstorm winds blew down power poles and lines and significantly damaged at least 6 houses. Some of the houses had holes blown in the walls from the flying debris. Significant tree damage also occurred with 10 to 20 trees uprooted.
August 1996Thunderstorm WindYankton$200,000no account filed
August 2000Thunderstorm WindYankton$50,000Thunderstorm winds caused tree and power line damage. There was also some damage to vehicles from tree debris.
September 1993Thunderstorm WindYankton$50,000Strong thunderstorm winds damaged a grain elevator in Irene and also caused some roof and tree damage.
August 1993Thunderstorm WindYankton$50,000Thunderstorm winds blew over some trees and branches causing damage to several vehicles. There was also 1.30 to 2.30 inches of rain in the area.
July 1997Thunderstorm WindYankton$50,000no account filed
July 2000Thunderstorm WindYankton$30,000Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including small trees blown down. The winds also blew down power lines, causing power outages in several parts of Yankton.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindYankton$10,000Thunderstorm winds blew down large limbs and power lines.
July 2001LightningYankton$10,000Lightning struck the tower of a radio station, damaging transmitting equipment and knocking the station off the air temporarily.
July 2010LightningYankton$5,000Lightning struck a meter on a business, causing a fire which caused relatively minor damage to the building.
July 1998Thunderstorm WindYankton$5,000Thunderstorm winds caused minor tree damage.
August 2004LightningYankton$2,000Lightning damaged the air conditioning system at a middle school.
May 1993HailYankton$50no account filed
May 1993HailYankton$50no account filed
July 2025Thunderstorm WindYankton-Several large tree limbs were reported down in Yankton.
June 2025HailYankton-Hail varied from nickel to quarter size.
July 2024Flash FloodYankton-Significant urban flooding occurred at the entrance to Mount Marty College with water standing up to several feet and water flowing over the driveway to just under a foot.
July 2024Flash FloodYankton-Flash flooding of Marne Creek occurred over the walking path near Broadway Avenue.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindYankton-Thunderstorm winds downed a large tree.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindYankton-Thunderstorm winds downed numerous 3 to 4 inch diameter tree limbs.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindYankton-A roof was torn from a business and deposited on Highway 50 on the east side of town.
July 2018Flash FloodYankton-Cars were stranded in foot deep waters on Broadway Street. Report received via social media.
August 2017HailYankton-Heavy rain occurred at the same time.
June 2017HailYankton-Report received through social media.
June 2017HailYankton-Social Media report.
June 2017HailYankton-Social media report.
September 2016Flash FloodYankton-Heavy rain caused street and yard flooding in Yankton.
August 2015Heavy RainYankton-A thunderstorm produced 1.41 inches of rain, causing minor street flooding.
July 2013Thunderstorm WindYankton-Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage.
June 2013Thunderstorm WindYankton-Thunderstorm winds caused an unknown amount of tree damage.
July 2010Flash FloodYankton-Heavy rain caused flash flooding of several roads, most notably South Dakota Highway 50 east of the city of Yankton.
July 2009Thunderstorm WindYankton-Damaging wind gusts were observed on the northwest side of the city of Yankton.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindYankton-Thunderstorm winds blew down power lines, causing a power outage. The winds were accompanied by heavy rain, which produced minor street flooding.
May 2007Tornado (EF0)Yankton-A brief tornado caused no reported damage. This tornado was observed together with another tornado from the same storm.
June 2005Flash FloodYankton-Heavy rainfall of around 3 inches caused flooding of numerous streets.
May 2005Thunderstorm WindYankton-Thunderstorm winds blew the roof off a mobile home, and blew a steel storage shed over three trailers.
May 2004HailYankton-Large hail was accompanied by 50 mph wind gusts.
May 2004Tornado (F0)Yankton-A brief tornado caused no reported damage.
June 2003HailYankton-Large hail damaged vehicles. The amount of damage was not known.
August 2002LightningYankton-Lightning caused a haystack fire.
June 2025HailYankton-no account filed
June 2025HailYankton-no account filed
May 2022HailYankton-no account filed
August 2022HailYankton-no account filed
June 2017Thunderstorm WindYankton-no account filed
May 2016HailYankton-no account filed
September 2015HailYankton-no account filed
September 2015HailYankton-no account filed
June 2014Thunderstorm WindYankton-no account filed
August 2013HailYankton-no account filed
August 2013HailYankton-no account filed
August 2011Thunderstorm WindYankton-no account filed
August 2011HailYankton-no account filed
June 2010Thunderstorm WindYankton-no account filed
May 2010Thunderstorm WindYankton-no account filed
July 2009HailYankton-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Yankton County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Napa Junction5.7 miles9
Fairview Heights6.8 miles10
Northshore Development6.9 miles10
Oak Hills Addition7.2 miles10
Mission Hill7.2 miles10
Valleyview9.1 miles10
Utica9.2 miles9
Lakeport10.0 miles9

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on YanktonAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q989288The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1259091. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.