Davison County, South Dakota, USA

Davison County lies in southeastern South Dakota, about 70 miles west of Sioux Falls, with Mitchell as its county seat and largest community. Most of the county is open, gently rolling prairie devoted to crops and pasture, while the James River forms the eastern boundary and Firesteel Creek feeds Lake Mitchell. Settlers established communities along Firesteel Creek in the 1870s, and railroad construction helped Mitchell, Mount Vernon and Ethan take root. Davison County had about 20,100 residents in 2025. Agriculture, food processing, manufacturing, health care, education, retail and tourism centered on Mitchell and the Corn Palace shape its economy.