Faith, South Dakota

Faith, South Dakota
FIPS code		46-20980[5]
GNIS feature ID	1267388[3]
Website	www.faithsd.com

Faith is a city in the northeastern corner of

, was discovered approximately 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Faith in August 1990.

History

According to

Founded as the town at the end of the railroad, Faith was originally the hub of a homestead boom in the period 1910–1920; but the drought conditions of the 1920s that led to the Dust Bowl of the 1930s quickly replaced abnormally wet conditions of the early 20th century, and the harsh winters of the northern plains quickly drove many sodbusters to more hospitable regions. The town's location allows for ranch families in the area to have schools and stores closer than Sturgis, Fort Pierre, or other regional market towns, but early expectations of steady growth were never realized. Faith is still well known for its rodeos and livestock sales. The town's location made it a necessary stop on the Sunset Trail, also known as the Yellowstone Trail.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.20 square miles (3.11 km²), all land.^[10]

Faith is located in the

(CRST). The region is well known for deer hunting and also offers pheasant, elk, and recently, prairie mountain lion hunting. A small reservoir, Durkee Lake, is approximately three miles south and offers a local recreation venue, with its boating, fishing, golf course, beach, and camping.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1920	575		—
1930	607		5.6%
1940	522		−14.0%
1950	599		14.8%
1960	591		−1.3%
1970	576		−2.5%
1980	576		0.0%
1990	548		−4.9%
2000	489		−10.8%
2010	421		−13.9%
2020	367		−12.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]

2010 census

As of the

of any race were 2.9% of the population.

There were 192 households, of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.1% were non-families. Of all households, 36.5% were made up of individuals, and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.91.

The median age in the city was 43.6 years. 25.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.4% were from 25 to 44; 29.5% were from 45 to 64; and 19.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.1% male and 48.9% female.

2000 census

As of the

, and 3.89% from two or more races.

There were 201 households, out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. Of all households, 29.4% were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,708, and the median income for a family was $38,333. Males had a median income of $22,250 versus $17,222 for females. The

, including 19.8% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Faith Public Schools are part of the Faith School District (South Dakota). The Faith School District has two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. Students attend Faith High School.^[12]

Infrastructure

The Faith Municipal Building, designed by U. L. Freed, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Transportation

Faith is accessed from U.S. Route 212 and South Dakota Highway 73. The nearest commercial airports are located at Pierre, the state capital, and Rapid City, the major market city of the region, located 100 mi (160 km) to the southwest. The railroad was constructed in 1910 and abandoned in the 1960s; there is presently no scheduled passenger bus service or freight service to the city.

Notable people

• Catherine Bach, actress
• Cole Elshere, rodeo cowboy
• Boyd Raeburn, jazz bandleader and baritone saxophonist

See also

• List of cities in South Dakota

References

External links

• Official website