Custer County

What Custer County does

Custer County, South Dakota is a political subdivision of the State of South Dakota, established in 1875, that delivers local government services to approximately 7,900 residents across 1,573 square miles in the southern Black Hills. The county operates through 19 departments including a Sheriff's Office, Highway Department, GIS Department, Planning and Economic Development, Conservation District, Director of Equalization, Treasurer's Office, Register of Deeds, States Attorney, Veterans Services, and Public Health Nursing Services. Core service lines include property tax collection, motor vehicle registration, election administration across 10 voting precincts, public safety, road maintenance (approximately 405 miles of road), permitting, and conservation programming delivered in coordination with federal partners (NRCS, FSA, USFS) and South Dakota state agencies (DANR, Game Fish and Parks, Department of Health, SDSU Extension).

The county's technology platform is built on commodity government software rather than proprietary AI. The GIS Department, directed by Troy A. Schmidt, maintains a county-wide addressing system and an automated dispatch mapping system, with public-facing parcel and assessment data exposed through Schneider Corporation's Beacon Interactive Mapping portal. Online services are delivered through GovTech Tax Pro (property tax payment), Iworq (online permits for approach, building, wastewater, and relocation), and the South Dakota voter information portal; public meetings are streamed on YouTube. The county's revenue model is statutory and transaction-based: in 2008, the Treasurer's Office managed approximately $4.2 million in revenue across 20 county offices and 90 trust and agency funds, while collecting over $10 million in real estate taxes and approximately $1.4 million in motor vehicle fees, with funds apportioned among the county, cities, school districts, and the State. As a government entity, Custer County is governed by an elected five-member Board of County Commissioners and is not subject to private capital, M&A, or shareholder dynamics.

Name

Custer County

Legal name

Custer County, South Dakota

Website

https://custercountysd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1875

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Custer County, South Dakota is a local government entity serving approximately 7,900 residents across 1,573 square miles in the southern Black Hills, delivering tax collection, public safety, road maintenance, permitting, election administration, conservation, and public health services through 19 departments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Government Administration

NAICS

Other General Government Support (921190), Administration of Conservation Programs (924120), Offices of Real Estate Appraisers (531320), National Security and International Affairs (9281), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Prosecution & District/State Attorney Services (BPAIAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Property Appraisal (BPAJAKAA), Right-of-Way & Easement Valuation (BPAJAKAI), Recreation, Ecotourism & Access Rights (Hunting, Fishing, Camping) (AFAMAMAD), Special-Purpose Property Appraisal (Healthcare, Religious, Public, etc.) (BPAJAKAG)

Keywords

• Local government services
• Property tax collection
• Election administration
• Public safety services
• Road maintenance

Headquarters

HQ city

Custer

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Collection: Custer County collects real estate taxes for the county, cities, and school districts. In 2008, more than $10 million was collected in real estate taxes. There were approximately 13,800 parcels of land. Taxes are paid one year in arrears with first half due April 30th and second half due October 31st.
2. Motor Vehicle Fees: Collection of fees for vehicles, boats, snowmobiles, motorcycles, trailers, ATV's and 4% excise tax on purchases. Collections are divided between the State of South Dakota, Custer County and municipalities. Approximately $1.4 million collected in 2008.
3. Revenue Management: Treasurer's Office is responsible for revenue collected by all 20 county offices including 90 trust and agency funds. Revenue was nearly $4.2 million in 2008. Also issues distress warrants for the State of South Dakota for non-payment of sales taxes or unemployment insurance.
4. Alcohol and Beer Licensing: Auditor's Office handles Beer and Liquor Licensing as part of county revenue generation.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Custer County is a local government entity that delivers statutory public services to residents and property owners of Custer County, South Dakota. Core offerings include property tax collection and assessment, motor vehicle registration, election administration, law enforcement, road maintenance (405 miles of roads), planning and permitting, vital records and marriage licenses, public health programs, veterans services, conservation programs, and a general aviation airport. The county is supported by a GIS platform with Beacon interactive mapping for property data and 9-1-1 addressing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Property Tax Collection and Assessment Countywide property tax collection and assessment service handled by the Treasurer's Office and Director of Equalization. Taxes are paid one year in arrears in two installments (April 30 and October 31) for approximately 13,800 parcels of land across the county, cities, and school districts.
• Motor Vehicle Registration and Title Services Collection of fees for vehicles, boats, snowmobiles, motorcycles, trailers, ATVs, and the 4% excise tax on purchases, with collections divided between the State of South Dakota, Custer County, and municipalities. Online renewals available via the state's my605drive.sd.gov portal, with renewals staggered by first letter of surname.
• Election Administration and Voter Services Voter registration, absentee voting, and election day operations administered by the Auditor's Office across 10 voting precincts (Hermosa, Fairburn, Buffalo Gap, Pringle, multiple Custer City sites), with in-person absentee voting at the courthouse and integration with the South Dakota Voter Information Portal.
• Law Enforcement Services Sheriff's Office public safety, law enforcement, and peace-keeping services for Custer County citizens, led by Sheriff Marty Mechaley, with 24/7 emergency response.
• Road and Bridge Maintenance Highway Department maintenance of approximately 405 miles of county roads (400 miles gravel, 5 miles asphalt) under Highway Superintendent Jesse Doyle, supporting transportation infrastructure across the 1,573-square-mile county.
• Beacon Interactive GIS Mapping Web-based GIS and reporting portal combining CAMA, Assessment, and Tax data into a single user-friendly application for residents, businesses, and government agencies to view county and city property information, public records, and geographic data.
• 9-1-1 Addressing and Dispatch Mapping County-wide addressing system and automated dispatch mapping that supports municipal, county, state, and federal emergency response and recovery services across Custer County, maintained by the GIS Department.
• Planning, Permitting, and Economic Development Planning, zoning, and permitting services for unincorporated Custer County, including building permits, approach permits, wastewater/septic permits, relocation permits, subdivision planning review, and economic development coordination, with online applications via the Iworq portal.
• Vital Records and Marriage Licenses Register of Deeds issuance of South Dakota marriage licenses ($40 cash, must be solemnized within 90 days) and maintenance of land records and vital records for Custer County.
• Public Health Nursing Services (WIC, Bright Start, Pregnancy Care, Immunizations) Office of Public Health Nursing Services delivering WIC supplemental nutrition program, Bright Start nurse home visiting for first-time mothers (prenatal to age two), pregnancy care program, and childhood immunizations, in partnership with the South Dakota Department of Health.
• Veterans Services Veterans Service Office staffed by Veterans Service Officer Todd Fish, assisting Custer County veterans in applying for federal, state, and local benefits. Office is located in the Custer County Annex Building.
• Conservation District Programs Conservation of soil, water, and natural resources programs for Custer County landowners, including forest thinning cost-share grants, tree sales, no-till drill rental, noxious weed and pest control, and technical assistance in partnership with NRCS, FSA, USFS Black Hills, SD DANR, and SD Game Fish and Parks.
• Custer County Airport Services General aviation airport at 12220 Aviation Way, Custer, providing air transportation services, 100LL and Jet A fuel, and supporting economic development. Managed by Airport Manager Brenden Hendrickson.
• Weed and Pest Control County-level noxious weed and pest management services supporting agricultural, residential, and natural areas within Custer County, coordinated with the SD Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources.
• Online Permit Application Portal (Iworq) Self-service online portal enabling residents and developers to apply for and track approach permits, building permits, wastewater/septic permits, and relocation permits in Custer County.
• Custer County Government Website and Citizen Portal Official public-facing website serving as the central citizen portal for Custer County government, providing access to all county departments, services, meeting schedules, tax information, election data, employment opportunities, and public records, with downloadable forms and integration to online services.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency providing technical and financial assistance for conservation programs. NRCS District Conservationist assigned to Custer County Conservation District. Programs include Resilient Forest Landscapes and Rangeland/Riparian Health projects.
• Farm Service Agency (FSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency administering agricultural programs including farm loans, commodity programs, and conservation reserves.
• USFS Black Hills National ForestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManages significant federal forest lands within and adjacent to Custer County. Coordinates on forest health, wildfire mitigation, and access.
• SD Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources (DANR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing Division of Resource Conservation & Forestry services. Coordinates weed and pest control programs and invasive species management.
• SD Game, Fish and ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency managing wildlife, fisheries, and state parks including Custer State Park within county boundaries.
• SDSU Extension ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative Extension Services provides educational programming in Youth Development (4-H), Family & Consumer Science, Horticulture and Agriculture through local Custer County Extension office.
• South Dakota Department of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency delivering public health programs including WIC, Pregnancy Care Program, Bright Start, and immunizations through local health nursing services office.
• Wind Cave National ParkminorOthersNational Park Service unit located within Custer County boundaries.
• Jewel Cave National MonumentminorOthersNational Park Service unit located within Custer County boundaries.
• South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts (SDACD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide organization supporting conservation districts including Custer County Conservation District.
• National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization supporting conservation district network.
• Pennington Conservation DistrictminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNeighbor conservation district providing tree sales program and no-till drill rental available to Custer County residents.
• Fall River Conservation DistrictminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNeighbor conservation district providing tree sales program and no-till drill rental available to Custer County residents.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pennington County, South Dakota: Neighboring county containing Rapid City and most of the Black Hills National Forest north of Custer. Provides the same statutory county services (tax collection, sheriff, planning, public health, roads) and shares the same federal partnership ecosystem (NRCS, USFS). Highly comparable as a peer Black Hills county government.
• Lawrence County, South Dakota: Northern Black Hills county home to Deadwood and Lead tourism economy. Same county government service mandate, comparable GIS and road infrastructure, similar federal land holdings and tourism dependency profile.
• Butte County, South Dakota: Adjacent South Dakota county with similarly small rural population and ranching-based economy. Operates the same set of statutory county services and conservation district structure; comparable scale and revenue profile.
• Meade County, South Dakota: Neighboring county east of Pennington with Sturgis and Ellsworth Air Force Base presence. Provides the full slate of statutory county services and shares regional conservation/federal partnerships; comparable rural-suburban mix to Custer.
• Jackson County, South Dakota: Southwestern South Dakota county with Badlands-adjacent geography and small population base. Provides a peer benchmark for rural county government service delivery at similar scale to Custer.
• Fall River County, South Dakota: Adjacent southern Black Hills county sharing Wind Cave National Park proximity and Hot Springs tourism base. Operates the same statutory county functions and conservation district structure, making it a direct operational peer.

Regional players

• Crook County, Wyoming: Wyoming county on the northwest Black Hills flank. Small rural county government with comparable ranching/tourism economy and federal land presence (Black Hills NF), serving as a regional benchmark.
• Weston County, Wyoming: Bordering Wyoming county on the western edge of the Black Hills. Operates the same county government functions in a similar tourism/ranching economy but under Wyoming law and funding structures, providing a useful cross-jurisdictional comparison.

Others

• Schneider Corporation (Beacon/GIS vendor): Vendor providing the Beacon interactive GIS, CAMA, and tax assessment platform used by Custer County. Included as an ecosystem participant showing the technology stack supporting county operations.
• GovTech (Tyler Technologies Tax/Payments): Provider of the GovTech Tax Pro online property tax payment system used by Custer County. Ecosystem participant enabling the county's digital service infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@custercountysdplanning
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/custer-county

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Subsidiaries19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Custer County