Almost DEAD Towns In Rural SOUTH DAKOTA - Far Off The Interstate

[@theswabbie30]

Horses eyes are usually covered with transparent mesh to prevent flies from biting at their eyes. This fly-mask allows the horse to see and hear just fine but prevents flies from gathering on their face and eyes.

[@sme_sage1241]

Thank you. I didn’t know what this was for, either 😂

[@richardduerr9983]

I thought it was like why they cover falcon's heads with those little leather helmets, to blind them so they will stay calm and not attempt to fly away. But yeah, flies can be a real problem for horses, so that totally makes sense. Thanks for explaining that!

[@williebeamish5879]

Then they roll in mud if it's available (further helps keep flies off) and just trash these fly masks.

[@blueneptune825]

Thamks for sharing that knowledge with us. I had no idea.

[@patriciawilhite7038]

Yep! Horse flies are usually bad in the summer. And those buggers are painful and will draw blood.

[@rwdonohue]

If a bunch of kids with Old Testament names invite you to stay and you don’t see any adults, run, run away from the corn

[@dampergoldenrod4156]

What exactly are you saying?

[@LJSW-rp6xm]

Highmore and Blunt, you peaked the interest of Stoners everywhere 😂

[@kcgarrigan4324]

We were proudly known as High Morons.

[@nolagal11]

Marijuana used to grow wild by Hyde County railroad tracks - jazz musicians on the trains threw their cannabis seeds out the windows, "it is said..."😂

[@theamerican7131]

rich farmers, subsidized by the federal government

[@catlover614]

A wonderful video, as always. It's so relaxing and interesting, just driving around and taking it all in. I love exploring new places. Thanks so much, Joe and Nic.😊💚

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, CL. :)

[@danielreilly7108]

They cover horses eyes so theydon't know theyre stuck in south dakota.😅

[@jakemoeller7850]

Born in Sioux Falls in '52, my parents moved the family to rural, southwest Minnesota in '55. Our little town of Dudley, MN no longer exists. It was great growing up in the country, but it all seems so far away now. Wonderful videos, folks...thank you.

[@knrdvmmlbkkn]

"Our little town of Dudley, MN no longer exists." What happened to it?

[@jakemoeller7850]

@knrdvmmlbkkn • The business that made Dudley a town was the pair of wooden, grain elevators. A new, metal facility was built several miles away in Marshall, MN, and the wooden structures were set ablaze and burned to the ground. The railroad tracks were removed, and the town disappeared. There is a small collection of homes there, but nothing else except memories.

[@BobMckinsey]

Where is Dudley ? Any abandoned buildings left ?

[@AncientOneFamily.]

I was born in Sioux Falls too! Now I'm in Canada.

[@StabStabStabStabby]

The owners of those massive farm operations in those small towns distort the median household income information.

[@keithsheffield9154]

As well as both people working with at least one having to commute 60-150 or more miles a day.

[@jamesjacocks6221]

It's interesting to hear the praises and jealousy as Road Trip proceeds through rural SD. I did note that there was at least one comment that the focus he had was escaping the doldrums without losing the ship. It is clear that rural life has some advantages but there is a trade-off that is difficult for non-rurals: the peace and quiet are lovely but the tedium and the lack of stimulation are enervating . There is little to no poverty, everyone is law-abiding and there are no confusing cultural experiments. The sheep like one place, goats the other. Presently, this is the great divide in the US.

[@Doo_Doo_Patrol]

Busch Lite: Champion of piss waters?

[@andrewward5891]

I drank that in college when I didn’t have more then $4 for a 12 pack. Awful stuff

[@reynoldskm]

Harrold's school consolidated with Highmore many years ago. The big red and brown building is the gym and lunch room. The old brick school building has the bathrooms and cloak rooms all divided by gender, so the girls were to stay on one side of the school and the boys on the other. When I attended school there the classes were mixed but we still hung our coat on opposite sides of the building. The locker rooms were also on opposite sides of the school.

[@minime8048]

looks like a chicken farm house , where they raise chooks... oops sorry they are chooks

[@toddstevens13]

So is the big school still serving the community? Great piece of architecture. Guess it did not clue in that it was summer so yes it was deserted on a weekday morning.

[@jameshepburn4631]

Looks like a good place to put combination holding areas, courtroom, and a prison for illegal aliens. Would end the recently publicized flooded with illegals problems in NYC, Chicago, LA, and other places. Would assure illegals will be where they can be found instead of disappearing before their immigration judge date. An added bonus is it would provide jobs for Americans in an area where jobs are hard to find. The income earned by construction workers, prison guards, burial crews, maintenance & support workers, courtroom staff, judges, and all the stores & businesses they would need, would revitalize the area. What’s the holdup?

[@marcomcdowell8861]

When I first got to South Dakota, I figured I had wronged someone in a past-life. Eventually it grew on me and it became home for 8 years. Brutal winters and scorching summers, but there were things to do...with some ingenuity and a bit of travel.

[@russellhltn1396]

As my dad used to say, the difference between a "dead" town and a "peaceful" one is if you like it or not.

[@indiandaeng]

Peaceful compared to Citys who are allowing looting and the destruction of the tax base.

[@johnst-john]

We appreciate that your videos are so different from those of other chanels. The slow pace makes them both informative and relaxing. Keep it up and don't change anything!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you. :)

[@BirdDogey1]

Cost of renovation would exceed market price of the property. Just the cost of getting the supplies to such a remote location would be substantial.

[@RobMyHoodies]

Thanks for this video, Once a Day I google rural parts of the US and hope for a video on what life is like in these towns. Today I saw your video on Blunt South Dakota. Thank you

[@tedecker3792]

Someone once asked former Governor Bill Janklow what South Dakota’s biggest export was. He answered “our young people”.

[@SamMaass-s5h]

Sad but true.

[@iainallan5667]

From Scotland, thanks for showing us these small town America

[@sherimcdaniel3491]

You think it’s cool now, stop by in January. You’ll need a warm coat….and gloves, warm/waterproof boots, long underwear, goggles, wool scarves and a hat with ear flaps. Looks like one could buy a nicer home for a low cost, but then one would have to live in South Dakota. 😉 I have to chuckle that you couldn’t figure out why the horses have masks on. Silly explorer….those are eye cover! They’re playing hide & seek! **they’re fly masks to protect the horses’ eyes from torment all day long.

[@tomloft2000]

I visited Mt. Rushmore once around Labor day and George Washington had snow on his head.

[@johncole2817]

This CA boy lived in SD back in 2005. Tongue-in-cheek, I pegged SD as, “98% white, 88% blond, and 28% Buick.” NICE people though.

[@kbittorf335]

The Great Depression must have had a big impact in that area as most peak populations were in 1930. My Dad’s uncle became the Lutheran pastor in Colome, SD in 1929 and reported through his letters home of the economic despair there.

[@minime8048]

Yet they built massive Roman style courthouse`s in the middle of nowhere in 1912 and at what cost ? 😋

[@kbittorf335]

@@minime8048 when they had the money to do so.

[@StabStabStabStabby]

​@@minime8048court houses are the main building in most of these small towns. It makes sense that the main government building would be one of the first things built in the downtown.

[@tweetspie]

That one violent crime was committed by someone out of their mind over the utter boredom of the place.

[@andrewward5891]

I imagine there’s a lot of heavy drinking to get through the winter

[@LeAnn610]

Interesting, but, do you think you made anyone nervous in those little towns when they see someone driving around making videos of their property?

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

No one has ever gave me a second look.

[@theonewhomjesusloves7360]

I think small towns have high crime because the youth have nothing better to do. Most probably grow to be drunks.

[@daviddecelles8714]

Crime is in fact not "high." That's just the illusion of proportionality because the base population is so low. When considered in absolute numbers, the total annual crimes are typically well under 10. A single bar dispute could easily account for all the crimes that year. I am not persuaded that "most probably grow to be drunks." A good deal more evidence is needed.

[@Melanie220]

Almost wish you'd headed east instead of west on 14. You might have ended up in De Smet, which is where Laura Ingalls Wilder of Little House on The Prairie fame came of age and spent the first few years of her married life. Most of the town itself is involved with the Little House tourist industry, but there are farms around as well. Its a lovely small town, a tiny bit more lively than most of the towns in SD!

[@michaeldesilvio221]

19 million abandoned properties in the United States of America. Nobody even knows who owns most of them.

[@wherethefugarwe]

The courthouse in every county in the US can provide owner information on any property in that county. "Nobody knows" who owns them?

[@dampergoldenrod4156]

I check property records all the time. Some of them don't go back decades like they should. Some of them only go back 15 to 20 years​@@wherethefugarwe

[@tdvan80]

Horse flys are a big problem for horses up here in the north country. So they cover the eyes and ears to prevent sores from happening.

[@minime8048]

Then why would you own a horse .. do they not have automobiles and farm machinery up there ?

[@tdvan80]

@@minime8048 to ride. You can have cars and other vehicles and still have horses to ride for entertainment. But with that there are Amish populations that do not have any motorized vehicles just horse and buggy.

[@dharryg]

I grew up in the 50’s and there is not much that attracts me to today’s popular culture, but I just love KZbin! What a great resource whether you want to play a musical instrument, learn a language, bake an apple pie, fix the carburetor on a 53 Studebaker or take a stroll through South Dakota just before bedtime.

[@iLuminaye]

i'm surprised google doesnt set you up with the street view car and get you to do that haha

[@CharlieB.-]

Highmore, SD 680 population 59f in July yea I wanna move there now. I hate the town I’ve lived in for the last 35 years. It has grown so much. Dozed thousands of acres for new houses and BMW Manufacturing Plant(s) 2 now, went from a 2 lane road to 4 lanes. Just miss the quietness and the slow pace it used to be.

[@keithsheffield9154]

FYI, 59F in July is way below normal.

[@gatorgogo2742]

All the towns were clean! Thanks for the statistics.

[@daveschmarder-1950]

I'm being taken back by nature too.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Me as well. :)

[@dagwood1327]

The roads are so wide in these small towns. And they look well maintained. Also the bird near the end and you asked if it was a road runner, looked to be a killdee. They will flutter and act injured to draw you away from their nest.

[@653j521]

killdeer

[@jerseyinsd]

roads are wide so the semi-trailers can line up for the elevator and other traffic can still go down the road

[@jerryumfress9030]

My wife and I along with some friends visited South Dakota several weeks ago. It was pretty amazing. We saw the Black Hills, Deadwood, the Badlands and visited Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse memorial. It was an amazing trip

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

The Rapid City area is awesome! 👍

[@Nickle314]

Interesting that the huge increase in efficiency in farming, means a huge reduction in population.

[@turnapage7417]

The worse things get in the US with the current administration, we NEED FARMING just like we need TRUCKERS

[@dagwood1327]

My dad told me that in the area he grew up the farmers had 40 acres to farm and his family was as large as he could make it. Kids were expected to help on the farm.

[@Nickle314]

@@dagwood1327 And now 40 acres would be uneconomic. Average farm size is now 445 acres. Depending on what you are doing, 500 acres can be one person. You may need to get in seasonal work, for example for harvest.

[@653j521]

It could mean a huge increase in employment due to the amount of cash available to buy things. The east side of South Dakota has very successful farming due to having more precipitation, and many prosperous towns. According to you the place should be practically devoid of people by now but the reverse has happened. The bulk of the state's total population is in the east.

[@Nickle314]

@@653j521 The general trend is fewer and fewer working the land. Highmore, 1950 - 1158 people, down to 682. Harold 1950 - 263 down to 101 Blunt 1950 423 down to 342 Onida 822 down to 666 [Avoid that if you believe in Satan! :-)] I picked one at random in the east, off the main roads. Oldham, 349 down to 121 So is it the roads De Smet 1,180 down to 1056. So there's evidence that it may be easy of transport. But its still down.

[@Ben-bb7mi]

What is happening to these towns is that the kids graduate high school and then almost all move to Sioux Falls. That's why their population drops and the median age goes up.

[@tobydog247]

Blunt is only 21 miles from the state capital. Hence the young population? It seems well kept.

[@justjokinntokin5474]

Blunt South Dakota….a perfect place to open a marijuana dispensary 🌲

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Highmore also! :)

[@justjokinntokin5474]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip 😆H😆A😆

[@andrewward5891]

I noticed the 2nd town with the birdseed plant loading up the Walmart truck has had a bit of a population bump lately. Mostly kids and adults in their 30’s in town. Probably one or both of most parents work at the plant and most people have kids in their 30’s now. I don’t know how many people a birdseed plant employs or how much it can expand but what causes towns to grow is a good employment base. So there may be hope for this town to rebound somewhat (still only 139 people in town but it’s a start)

[@steveib724]

Pretty soon they'll be getting it from China lmao 🤣 🤣🤣

[@michaelmathews295]

Highmore is the sight when on September 12, 2020 the Attorney General of South Dakota hit a pedestrian late at night on Hwy US14 and didn't stop. He came back the next day. It raised a big stink in the government and he was eventually impeached and barred from holding an office in the future. He was also investigating charges against the Governor (Noem) that she influenced an official in order for her daughter to obtain a building license.

[@minime8048]

And no jail time like you and i would get 😋

[@nathant17]

I remember reading about that on Reddit. It seemed pretty sus. Hopefully justice will be served.

[@TeresaRaab-hb5co]

It probably didn't help that the person died.

[@timnewman1172]

Kinda like former Governor Janklow, this state has had it's share of corrupt politicians...

[@77hodag]

I remember that - he was the Attorney General & he killed a guy in a hit & run. Also was never given a blood alcohol test. Nothing happened until the story went viral & he still refused to resign. Noem is sketchy as well - no accountability in these red state governments. The AG almost got away with murder.

[@MrShene123]

It is interesting how these small towns in the US have such epic government buildings.

[@Nickle314]

When were they built? When the town had a large population would be my guess.

[@PlayThroughTheGame]

that's tartarians buildings.

[@williebeamish5879]

Perhaps it was a symbol of "importance" to the residents.

[@superinquisitor]

@@PlayThroughTheGame exactly right! Those buildings that "took cues from Ancient Rome" were not built by Americans with horse and buggies!

[@scottlarson1548]

Just like in South America every small town has a gigantic ornate church.

[@williamsickner2206]

The crime is high because of the reservations where most of it takes place.

[@MrScorebord]

Dear Joe and Nicole. I think this is a great road trip you guys are on. I find it strange, as a Dutchman, that you see so few people on the streets in those villages. No one walks, no one cycles. Do the neighbors know each other? Do the residents in a neighborhood know who lives on the next street? I think I know 100, maybe 150 neighbors. We talk to each other on the street, ask how things are going and help each other with odd jobs or lend tools to each other. Questions, questions, questions. Oh, I saw your suitcase lying loose in the backseat. NOT GOOD! Should you ever have to make an emergency stop or have an accident, God forbid, that suitcase will fly. And you never know where to go, but always forward. It becomes a projectile. You and Nicole, stay safe and I look forward to your next video.

[@bondoly66]

I know I'm butting in, and I appreciate Joe filming on Sundays when it is quieter, and he can move around easier. There aren't many people around and he can concentrate on his goal of giving his time to his audience. I know it's not always on Sundays but many times it is.

[@biekken849]

Wat u zegt, is niet representatief voor NL.

[@barbarayork3675]

No one on the road, in their yards, etc is typical for the US. Here in WA State it is the same. Europe is just the opposite....👍

[@RichardFelstead1949]

@@barbarayork3675 I noticed a lot of houses did not have a fence between them and neighbours.

[@653j521]

Sundays in small town America are quiet. If you think anything can happen in a small town that everybody doesn't know about, you don't understand human nature. :) And if you don't think they share and help each other, you don't know what neighbors mean to each other when the the weather hits you hard and the only way you survive is to band together. It normally isn't the Dakota way to get into a neighbor's business as you described, but that in no way means they aren't fully engaged in each other's lives.

[@cherienafo7676]

OZ/ Hope you are all hitting that LIKE button!! Thanks Joey and Nicole for another great drive. Cheers from Sth Australia.

[@allanbriggs807]

And another from NSW, Australia. Great video.

[@paulineheaney6945]

Very interesting, greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪 💚☘💚☘

[@HeidiStLouis-xu2ox]

Whew! After watching your video, my blood pressure just dropped 20 points. So beautiful and peaceful. I grew up spending a lot of time in South Dakota with my grandparents and I just loved it. Now I live in Fort Lauderdale and it’s just crazy-town. Roads are always clogged with traffic, high rise apartments on every corner, no green space, and the temperature has been at least 95 degrees every day for the last month…South Dakota is an undiscovered treasure!

[@ltcajh]

I was born in Watertown. I just love South Dakota, but wife doesn't want the winters! It's peaceful. The bad- South Dakotans haven't heard of, "Southern Hospitality".

[@SamMaass-s5h]

​@@ltcajhWatertown is growing like a weed! Many big city problems. Housing costs are skyrocketing. Not the same town 10 years ago.

[@ltcajh]

That's sad to hear. I have an excellent long-term memory. I was born there in 1960, and we left when I was 11. Life was like the movie, "Sandlot", and Charlie Brown. I've occasionally gone back. It's very sad when I'm there to know my loved ones there are almost all dead or moved away. @@SamMaass-s5h

[@edfeten4724]

​@@ltcajhI've been to Watertown. My dad was born on a farm outside of Clear Lake.

[@SamMaass-s5h]

Housing is hard to find now.

[@zerog5041]

Hi Joe from a very blustery 20C south London, UK - yep I'd say South Dakota is the "bread basket" for that part of the USA judging by all the grain silo's!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Absolutely.

[@hershellacey9405]

And why their income is so high.

[@Rockhunter329]

South Dakota is on the western edge of the corn (and soybeans) belt.

[@JamesMcGillis]

Great tour. Those of us who live in highly populated areas have no knowledge of how people in rural and farming communities live. If these towns were in Utah, near a national park, there would be ten hotels and 20 restaurants.

[@NottinghamshireMadness]

Double whammy for me, first to view your video and I hit 1k subs on my channel!

[@wendylandmark6747]

Onida has a long I sound. Gotta put your Scandinavian on! Lol!

[@annajohnson3309]

I can say that my husband makes over 50,000.00 a year and after taxes and road expenses he only brings home around 350.-400.00 a week which is not much after you considered your bills so I don't see that you say that is good money when most places rent from 850.00-2000. a month plus bills and if you have insurance that comes out of that and 401k

[@tominexile]

I suppose it's good money where the cost of living is low. But those are often places rural and remote like in this video.

[@SamBingham-p6q]

Watching and enjoying your videos.I live in Scotland and thinking of doing similar videos of Scottish small towns .What dashcam are you using?

[@garymullholand7031]

PBR is a beer that I cannot stand the taste 😢

[@lindamortimore5274]

Did someone comment on Onida SD. Pronounced with long I not Oneda. You said the bird was a road runner. It was a Killldeer bird. SD does not have Road Runners. Nice videos. I grew up on a small farm near Dante SD, population about 100.

[@drdecker1]

You have to remember most of these communities were built around farmers. So large populations did not really exist. Back then they also had big families. Today not so much.

[@DUMPSTERDIVINGADELAIDE]

Hello, Thanks for showing me around different parts of America, (trivia) - did you know that Australia has the same land size of America, one big island, Take care 😊

[@cherienafo7676]

Hey !! I,m near Lake Alexandrina. Thing is- in OZ, we dont have 'interesting old towns' much- as our history so young and most houses were built of wattle and daub and went to ruin pretty quick, so I love seeing Joey's drives through USA.

[@DUMPSTERDIVINGADELAIDE]

@@cherienafo7676 - so you live here or there?

[@pauladuncanadams1750]

Be grateful for the coolth. It gets HOT! My brother has a home in Geddes, population about 200. Nobody wants to live in SD.

[@steve4988]

People want to live there. They don’t have asses cutting down how they live

[@pauladuncanadams1750]

@@steve4988 The summers are too hot, winters too cold.

[@royrice8021]

Since the real start of the Interstate Highway System in 1956, towns not close to it have been dying off slowly but surely.

[@davidbreen4353]

just found your channel. this was fantastic. super small towns, 300 people. dang, i would love a town like that. QUIET, PEACEFUL, i wonder if you could buy one of those abandoned homes for a lot less and fix it up. on Soc. Sec. i couldn't afford 79K. but i really enjoyed the tour.

[@andrewward5891]

I’m sure you could get one of those abandoned homes from the local government for the price of Back taxes. I’m sure they’d love for someone to fix them up

[@dampergoldenrod4156]

There wouldn't be anyone in the area to fix it

[@baanman]

Also, that little bird is a Kildeer. I grew up close to that area and they were all over. They run fast on the ground and always chattering Kill-deer. That's how they got their name. Very noisy. A very smart bird and if their nest is threatened, they will put on the broken wing act to lure the predators away. And will fluff themselves up to look larger to a predator.

[@rhob2422]

I lived in SD for 6 years in Rapid City and my folks eventually moved to a very small town near ND. I went to visit once and wanted to go to a gas station/convenient store so I called them to see how late they were open before I drive 30 minutes. The guy asked "Who is this?" Really weirded me out...I hung up. I went to the 'Grocery Store' to look for some beer and was gawked at by the locals who eventually told me I had to go across the street to the bar to buy a 6 pack. So I did that, and was rudely stared at by an old couple the entire time sitting at a table. If your not in one of the 2 cities, its a strange scary place that kinda creeped me out, the people weirded me out and I felt like I was trespassing. Idk what the deal is there...

[@jerryw6699]

It sounds like you have security issues.

[@minime8048]

What do you expect when you walk into the bar naked and order bud light .. or a man dressed as a women (which is quite common today ) what did you say your name was again .. Dylan Mulvaney ?

[@daftnord4957]

I've noticed some old farmers/ranchers tend to stare, and they're expecting you to notice them so either you or themselves will initiate conversation. Or they're nosy and judging you

[@dianetobin7220]

I wonder what the internet access is for these isolated towns. Your videos are always interesting, no matter what town or city you are visiting. I have also wondered, as has Mr. Scorebord below, why there are virtually no people visible outside. This is something I have noticed for a while.

[@scottlarson1548]

I've passed through a few isolated towns in my state that don't even have cell phone service. Everyone in the towns still have landlines. They get television with big antennas or subscribe to satellite and probably everyone is in their houses watching television.

[@beyond6465]

​@@scottlarson1548good information

[@653j521]

Gov. Janklow in the 1990s made it a priority to get computers in all the schools in South Dakota. He was a visionary from Chicago, loved and hated. Since then, not much progress in getting computer access to poor families, as vividly evidenced in the pandemic, trying to keep school going by zoom. It is really expensive to just get internet, let alone internet and tv. Sunday morning is for church or sleeping in. Sunday noon is for gathering and eating. Sunday afternoon is for socializing.

[@BobMckinsey]

We usually pay more per month than a big city , probably for all the miles of wires they have to lay.

[@porcupinepunch6893]

​@@653j521Midco seems to be advancing the spread of fiber through South Dakota

[@thomaszanzal7846]

I lived in a small town like this for 23 years of my life. The only question nagging persistently in the back reaches of everyone's mind , is how to get out without losing one's shirt in the process , and how did we get trapped here ?

[@ianhansen6840]

Yep. We tried it from the Bay Area for three years in upper Michigan. It was a really nice camping trip though!

[@thomaszanzal7846]

I eventually got out and did lose my shirt in the process. Most or less had to start from scratch in a more populated area.@@ianhansen6840

[@mitchmorse8238]

I really enjoy your videos of your across the USA road trip ! Next best thing if a person such as myself is unable to do it myself.....I just wanted to address the statistics of average incomes which are quite a bit higher in this video,..even though the towns do not appear especially prosperous. I think that may be do to perhaps 20 to 30 people being multi-millionaires. Big AG,...grain companies and huge farms....This is farming today in that part of the country. Those indivduals are raising the average income way up in towns with a scant few hundred people,....'in my opinion'........

[@tracedog27]

I can't figure out how rural low population county governments like this can even be economically viable.

[@ScubaSteveCanada]

You were tempting fate stopping on those live railroad tracks ;-) When they are shiny, it's a good indication that they are still in use. Somehow, I think you could see, for miles, that it was all clear ;-)

[@theonewhomjesusloves7360]

He stopped before the tracks not on them, you can see when he drove over

[@davidmorgan7591]

Trains in South Dakota are not known for their speed. You can literally see those grain trains coming for days.

[@greyhoundude6112]

Where are the people? Perhaps everyone died of boredom. Living in that part of the country looks absolutely awful.

[@minime8048]

Government killed them all .. sending them to make believe wars .. for gods sake wake up !!

[@Lxx-tc4xc]

The poorest county in the USA, as measured by median annual household income in 2021, is Buffalo county, South Dakota. Its 2022 population was estimated as 1861. About 85% of the county's population is Sioux.

[@catherinefrancis5827]

I love your videos! It’s so good to see the other side of America

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you!!

[@andrewward5891]

Something about the demographics of the first town bothers me. Population 680, average age 51(old), about 50/50 male / female ratio ok so far. But Joe says 19% of women are widowed (around 70 widows in town but zero % of men in town are widowers? That doesn’t make sense. Not one old guy in town outlived his wife? Is there a local law that all widowers have to leave town? 70 widows and no widowers makes no sense

[@shannonsmith5481]

Alot of old widow ladies move to town when their farmer husbands die

[@Elger77]

Of course the income levels in these small Midwest towns are skewed by retired farmers or their widows

[@WhittyPics]

I wonder what the Internet service is like in some of these small towns

[@lincoln21]

State of the art fiber optic internet in all four towns

[@kcgarrigan4324]

Many of these young families in these communities would have lived on rural farmsteads years ago, For schooling, it's easier for dad to commute to the farm than for children to spend hours per day going back and forth. Thanks for covering my hometown of Highmore, I'm class of 1975,

[@daffodillus]

I moved out of Pierre 2yrs ago because of how small, secluded, and cold it is (fellow Texan here, too)… I live in Florida now, and my Floridian boyfriend and I really enjoyed this portion of your trip! Your videos did a great job portraying life there. P.S. - oh-nEYE-duh 😉

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thanks! :)

[@BobMckinsey]

I was in an unincorporated town in South Dakota on 212. Near the Minnesota border. And the main road was a gravel road !! Maybe 500 people in it. I'd love to live there. Hardly any expenses for unnecessary sidewalks and stuff.

[@TeresaRaab-hb5co]

Gravel roads aren't cheap to maintain.

[@SamMaass-s5h]

Sounds like Revillo.

[@BobMckinsey]

Revilp is the one with there post office in a trailer I think. I've visited there too.

[@SamMaass-s5h]

Yes. Darn big fingers.

[@robertmcmanus636]

I think the rundown places give a town more character.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I agree. There's nothing more boring looking that modern, new suburbia.

[@deadmansgulf911]

Town still looks somewhat alive. Unfortunately with that aging population I think in about ten years it’s going to be a ghost town

[@sunrain4820]

You stay safe🥰✌🏽💐😍💕❤️

[@SuperEarth009]

I’m in New England North Dakota, you need to check Out the Birth place of Lawrence Welk up near the border on I think that highway on the way to Bismarck! Then come over and visit up in New England North Dakota! I watch all your videos

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

We're heading into North Dakota later this year. We have done videos of Bismarck & Fargo.

[@WaskiSquirrel]

I'm another North Dakotan who watches these. I love that this channel visits the small towns like yours and mine!

[@jh76103]

About 30 years ago I babysat an adorable toddler and when he got tired but didn't want to take a nap, I'd turn on the TV to The Lawrence Welk Show. I would hold him and slowly dance around the living room while he hummed along with the music and he would fall asleep in no time. Worked 100% of the time!

[@daviddecelles8714]

How'd it get that name? A New Englander asking.

[@gregwarner3753]

This is what happens when wealth concentrates into cities and suburbs with better transportation. This is exacerbated by our national concentration to stock manipulators and upper management. The rich get richer and this is the where their money came from. Little people with little money.

[@gianluca19]

Nobody is talking about 90,000 miles on a 2 year old car

[@joeschmo7957]

I would ask, in hopes of *someone responding with a comment*, if these towns have only a few hundred people... living out in the veritable empty plains far from any thoroughfare connecting them to the regional communities, making 60k + per year... WHERE DO THEY WORK/ WHAT DO THEY DO FOR A LIVING??

[@minime8048]

Great question

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

If I was to guess, they do farm related work.

[@joeschmo7957]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Quite frankly, I thought that farmers were poor, in general. Of course, they are chronic 12 hr a day people so they can get more done, thanks, folks.

[@hershellacey9405]

They plant, harvest and truck grain.

[@ReneeWeatherford]

Thank you for driving through the Highmore neighborhoods. My dad grew up there & went to that school. My grandfather had the first car in that town & owned the lumber mill. Was hoping to see their house - I believe it’s still standing. Sad to see it’s a dying town.

[@nolagal11]

Remember Crane'sWelding and Blacksmithing? My aunt and uncle.

[@GrnXnham]

Not a roadrunner. That's a killdeer.

[@joseramonvalenzuelaegea6745]

As an European I wonder, what kind of life has a boy of 18 years old living in these small towns?

[@keithsheffield9154]

An 18 year old would be finishing up high school and then making plans to leave.

[@RRR-hj6bt]

I'm a 60 year old single white man. Highmore, maybe I should move there.

[@jconrad38]

I loved the slow pan right and then left when crossing the railroad tracks. Safety first!

[@joedawgs6242]

Number one hobby in town is watching paint dry.

[@jonanderson4474]

I like watching my trees grow. Been watching this lodge pole pine for thirteen years now. It's pretty majestic.

[@channe3049]

The number one hobby in town actually is taking a walk through plain fields of nature or fishing in rivers.

[@GTO7005]

Love the videos so cool always wanted to do this myself

[@sboy1955]

The violent crimes are most likely abuse of some sort within these families..?

[@alexandralovesgoats3360]

Rural SD is about what I expected. I liked the beautiful courthouses. There were some beautiful homes sprinkled into these towns. The school with the separate entrances reminded me of my grammar school, Sacred Heart, in Chicago in the 1970’s. Heaven forbid we see a Hardy Prep boy! 😂. Have a great weekend !

[@marywikstrom3756]

Hope you do a video on Herrick, SD. It is almost a ghost town now but some people still live there. I understand they have a big hog roast every year. My dad’s relatives are from that area. My grandma & uncle lived a few miles outside of town.

[@kathrinekerns8398]

I lived in Oneida, South Dakota in 1975. I worked at the Bakery Cafe. I remember the feed lot (stinky) that was outside the town. Never ever want to live in South Dakota ever again. Nice people but, terrible weather.

[@minime8048]

That explains all the flies .. rotting food they sell to Customers

[@kc8vwm649]

The recurring theme is they are earning "above average" incomes? How do they earn a living? Where do they work? I doubt everyone there works at the dollar general store, the grocery store. or the post office to do this. Doesn't seem like many good paying job opportunities unless you drive 100 miles to the next big town. What am I missing here?

[@andrewward5891]

The granaries and the bird seed place probably have to pay pretty well to get people to move to South Dakota to work.

[@58jennypenny]

Nice to see some small towns actually starting to thrive again. I love these way ouy places, our country isn't big enough to have any.

[@GoGreen1977]

I'd hardly call any of these towns, "thriving." No one is out and about, I don't see people walking their dogs, or pushing a stroller, jogging, walking with a neighbor, hanging out at a coffeehouse or diner (there aren't any, apparently!), or enjoying a park. The vast majority of small businesses are closed. I don't see a library, or community center, or any cultural centers, including a movie theater or playhouse or art/artisan gallery. I guess the residents stay home, go to work, and/or drive miles to shop, go for medical care, or find anything to do outside of their homes. I didn't even see anyone working in their yard. They may make some money, but what do they do with it? Btw, my mother grew up in Morristown, SD during the depression. From the stories she told me, they had more going on and things to do in the worst years of those bad economic times than these small towns have today.

[@mitch6962]

small towns are the future

[@baltasarnoreno5973]

@@GoGreen1977 I was thinking that myself. I seriously wonder what the local people to do make a living, especially as all the average salary figures he quoted were high at 55k-60k. Farming can't pay that well, surely?

[@jerryw6699]

@@GoGreen1977 Hopefully, our small towns stay small and peaceful, we have many transplants from our wonderful big cities, and some of those are not good. There's plenty to do in a small rural area, big city people seldom understand.

[@58jennypenny]

@@GoGreen1977 as in the dictionary definition .

[@rhondatanner1157]

Look at that prairie at the train tracks.. beautiful

[@Coptergirljs]

They are trying to keep the flies off of the horses. It's a good idea to keep bot flies off or the horses can have bot larvae in their digestive track. The covers on their faces keep face lies off and out of the eyes; they can see through the material. I'm not sure about the leg raps unless it's to protect them from snakes.

[@stevemccoy8138]

I love SD, especially the Western part. 😊

[@getdoeful]

I find the stats interesting, what is the industry, where is the money coming from? On top of having a lot of income there is a low cost of living, hmm. Something's fishy (90% of anything in a "melting pot"is not ideal, especially when you don't see anyone walking around, where are the people?). You mentioned no fancy cars, you also dont see alot of buildings or infrastructure (even on a small scale) either (Where are these people spending their money? ). The small church is also interesting (because of the income), in cities like Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia there are large grandiose churches (sometimes abandoned) despite the poverty and median incomes.

[@maryflaherty7096]

Maybe some retired farmers or cheaper living for young couple who drive to city to work.