Blog · October 14, 2026 · South Dakota
Union County Township Map, South Dakota
Civil and survey townships in Union County, with the free map, starting near Jefferson.
Main page: Union County, SD GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, Union County facts and neighboring maps).
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A Union County township map answers two different questions around Jefferson: which local township a property sits in, and where it falls on the survey grid. The free Union County parcel viewer and the parcel record usually display both.
What a Union County township map lists
Where civil townships exist in the county, they are named local units, and their duties near Elk Point depend on South Dakota law. The survey township cited in deeds near Alcester follows the federal survey grid, with blocks about 6 miles on a side, divided into 36 numbered sections.
Step one: the free Union County viewer
The county's own public map is the Union County Beacon site, built on Schneider Geospatial's Beacon platform, and it opens without an account for parcels in Alcester and the rest of the county. In the county version, the search page takes an owner, an address or a parcel ID, and each report links back to the map view for the tract close to Alcester. For a backup route to the map covering Elk Point, our Union County directory entry keeps the link current.
How to look up a township in Union County
The Union County Beacon site is the quickest Union County township map for most people: switch on boundaries and click a parcel near Richland. For the survey grid, look for section, township and range in the legal description on the Union County record.
Reading sections near Elk Point
On a grid map of Union County, section 1 sits in the northeast corner of a licensed survey township, with the count snaking back and forth to 36 in the southeast. Aliquot descriptions for land near Richland make sense in reverse: the final quarter listed is the largest piece. Correction lines and irregular sections exist, so a section near Jefferson may not be exactly 640 acres.
Township records near Alcester
Township names on a historical atlas of Union County can help when a family deed near Jefferson uses an old place name. Election maps, school districts and fire districts in Union County don't always follow township lines near Jefferson, so check each one separately.
The Union County economy in brief
Union County's 2022 business count was 583 establishments, with health care and social assistance, construction, and professional and technical services the largest groups. Compared with national shares, Union County leans toward machinery manufacturing and utilities, which shapes demand for land near Beresford.
The lay of the land around Elk Point
Town lots cluster around Elk Point, the county seat, and Alcester, Beresford, Jefferson, and North Sioux City. Unincorporated communities in the county, including Dakota Dunes, Richland, and Alsen, display up as small groups of parcels along the roads. Union County had an estimated 17,183 people in 2023 (Census Bureau), spread across about 461 square miles. Outside Elk Point, most of the county map is farm, ranch or timber ground with large, irregular tracts.
Neighboring maps around Union County
Near the edge of the county, check the next map over: Plymouth County, IA, Sioux County, IA, Woodbury County, IA, Dakota County, NE, and Dixon County, NE all border it. Every map bordering Union County is listed on our South Dakota directory.
Deeds and plats behind the Union County map
For land near Alcester, the deed itself lives in the county recording office, and the map is an index to it. Copy the parcel identifier and legal description from the county record before you request a deed for land near North Sioux City.
Why the township matters
In Union County, township boundaries can matter more than the mailing town, and the Union County record is the better guide than an address. Assessment and tax districts in Union County are commonly tied to the township, so two neighboring parcels near Elk Point can carry different rates.
Union County, SD: common questions
How big is a quarter section near Elk Point?
A standard section is about 640 acres, so a quarter section near Elk Point is about 160, though corrections make some smaller.
Why is my mailing address in North Sioux City but my township different?
Postal service areas around North Sioux City cross township lines, so the two commonly differ.
Can I see township boundaries near Elk Point online?
Usually; turn on boundary layers in the county viewer and zoom toward Elk Point.
What do township and range mean on a deed near North Sioux City?
They locate land near North Sioux City on the federal survey grid; each survey township holds 36 sections of about 640 acres.
Open the official Union County, SD parcel map Union County in the Platbookmapper directory
Not a survey. County GIS and tax parcel maps are assessment and planning layers. They are not a substitute for a recorded plat, deed, or licensed survey, especially for fences, setbacks, or boundary disputes.