Day County, South Dakota

Day County, South Dakota
County
First National Bank (Webster, South Dakota)
Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota
Coordinates: 45°22′N 97°37′W / 45.37°N 97.61°W / 45.37; -97.61
Country United States
State South Dakota
Founded1880
Named afterMerritt H. Day
SeatWebster
Largest cityWebster
Area
 • Total
1,091 sq mi (2,830 km2)
 • Land1,028 sq mi (2,660 km2)
 • Water63 sq mi (160 km2)  5.8%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
5,449
 • Estimate 
(2024)
5,408
 • Density5.301/sq mi (2.047/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districtAt-large
Websiteday.sdcounties.org

Day County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,449.[1] Its county seat is Webster.[2] The county is named for Merritt H. Day, pioneer and 1879 Dakota Territory legislator.[3][4]

Geography

The terrain of Day County consists of rolling hills, partly devoted to agriculture. It is dotted with numerous lakes and ponds, especially its eastern portion.[5] The terrain slopes to the west; its highest point is the northeast corner, at 2,014 ft (614 m) ASL.[6] The county has a total area of 1,091 square miles (2,830 km2), of which 1,028 square miles (2,660 km2) is land and 63 square miles (160 km2) (5.8%) is water.[7]

Lakes

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

  • Buchner Slough State Public Shooting Area[8]
  • Holmquist Slough State Public Shooting Area[9]
  • Lily State Public Shooting Area[10]
  • Myland Pass State Public Shooting Area[11]
  • Nelson Slough State Public Shooting Area[12]
  • Pickerel Lake State Recreation Area[13]
  • Pierpont Lake Recreation Area[14]
  • Waubay National Wildlife Refuge

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
188097—
18909,1689,351.5%
190012,25433.7%
191014,37217.3%
192015,1945.7%
193014,606−3.9%
194013,565−7.1%
195012,294−9.4%
196010,516−14.5%
19708,713−17.1%
19808,133−6.7%
19906,978−14.2%
20006,267−10.2%
20105,710−8.9%
20205,449−4.6%
2024 (est.)5,408[15]−0.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[16]
1790–1960[17] 1900–1990[18]
1990–2000[19] 2010–2020[1]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 5,449 people, 2,370 households, and 1,451 families residing in the county.[20] The population density was 5.3 inhabitants per square mile (2.0/km2).

Of the residents, 23.1% were under the age of 18 and 26.3% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 47.2 years. For every 100 females there were 103.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 102.7 males.[21]

There were 2,370 households in the county, of which 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 22.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[21]

There were 3,395 housing units, of which 30.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.8% were owner-occupied and 22.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 13.1%.[21]

The racial makeup of the county was 84.9% White, 0.1% Black or African American, 9.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% from some other race, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.8% of the population.[22]

The median income for a household in the county was $57,558 and the median income for a family was $76,583. About 13.1% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.5% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 5,710 people, 2,504 households, and 1,561 families in the county. The population density was 5.6 inhabitants per square mile (2.2/km2). There were 3,630 housing units at an average density of 3.5 units per square mile (1.4 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 88.1% white, 9.5% American Indian, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.4% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 43.8% were German, 25.1% were Norwegian, 12.8% were Polish, 8.8% were Irish, and 6.1% were American.

Of the 2,504 households, 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.7% were non-families, and 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.83. The median age was 47.9 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,818 and the median income for a family was $47,949. Males had a median income of $36,549 versus $25,750 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,542. About 10.7% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Townships

  • Andover
  • Bristol
  • Butler
  • Central Point
  • Egeland
  • Farmington
  • Grenville
  • Highland
  • Homer
  • Independence
  • Kidder
  • Kosciusko
  • Liberty
  • Lynn
  • Morton
  • Nutley
  • Oak Gulch
  • Racine
  • Raritan
  • Rusk
  • Scotland
  • Troy
  • Union
  • Valley
  • Waubay
  • Webster
  • Wheatland
  • York

Politics

Day County voters have tended to vote Democratic for the past several decades. Since 1948 the county has selected the Democratic Party candidate in 71% of national elections. However, the county swung hard to Donald Trump in 2016, and in 2020 Trump posted the best percentage in the county by a Republican presidential candidate since Theodore Roosevelt in 1904.

United States presidential election results for Day County, South Dakota[24]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
№  % №  % №  %
1892 752 38.92% 362 18.74% 818 42.34%
1896 1,171 48.07% 1,230 50.49% 35 1.44%
1900 1,558 56.37% 1,092 39.51% 114 4.12%
1904 2,077 73.50% 383 13.55% 366 12.95%
1908 1,616 59.22% 813 29.79% 300 10.99%
1912 0 0.00% 787 33.76% 1,544 66.24%
1916 1,758 61.21% 907 31.58% 207 7.21%
1920 2,739 59.82% 436 9.52% 1,404 30.66%
1924 2,193 55.17% 308 7.75% 1,474 37.08%
1928 3,180 54.22% 2,642 45.05% 43 0.73%
1932 1,983 32.03% 3,910 63.16% 298 4.81%
1936 2,113 36.88% 3,335 58.21% 281 4.90%
1940 3,277 49.85% 3,297 50.15% 0 0.00%
1944 2,593 51.04% 2,487 48.96% 0 0.00%
1948 2,438 42.91% 3,146 55.38% 97 1.71%
1952 3,648 60.81% 2,351 39.19% 0 0.00%
1956 2,652 47.16% 2,971 52.84% 0 0.00%
1960 2,626 48.09% 2,835 51.91% 0 0.00%
1964 1,914 37.17% 3,235 62.83% 0 0.00%
1968 2,062 43.81% 2,463 52.33% 182 3.87%
1972 1,971 41.95% 2,719 57.86% 9 0.19%
1976 1,617 37.98% 2,610 61.31% 30 0.70%
1980 2,507 55.18% 1,720 37.86% 316 6.96%
1984 2,150 52.43% 1,932 47.11% 19 0.46%
1988 1,616 42.82% 2,137 56.62% 21 0.56%
1992 1,161 31.17% 1,578 42.36% 986 26.47%
1996 1,282 36.29% 1,840 52.08% 411 11.63%
2000 1,623 50.77% 1,492 46.67% 82 2.56%
2004 1,671 47.20% 1,817 51.33% 52 1.47%
2008 1,372 42.81% 1,785 55.69% 48 1.50%
2012 1,320 45.95% 1,497 52.11% 56 1.95%
2016 1,627 59.23% 974 35.46% 146 5.31%
2020 1,869 63.06% 1,052 35.49% 43 1.45%
2024 1,876 63.98% 1,000 34.11% 56 1.91%

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ <Legislative Manual 2005, p. 596
  4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 101.
  5. ^ "Day County · South Dakota". Day County · South Dakota. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  6. ^ ""Find an Altitude" Google Maps (accessed February 1, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  8. ^ Buchner Slough State Public Shooting Area, Webster SD Google Maps (accessed February 1, 2019)
  9. ^ Holmquist Slough State Public Shooting Area, Webster SD Google Maps (accessed February 1, 2019)
  10. ^ Lily State Public Shooting Area Google Maps (accessed February 1, 2019)
  11. ^ Myland Pass State Public Shooting Area, Webster SD Google Maps (accessed February 1, 2019)
  12. ^ Nelson Slough State Public Shooting Area, Webster SD Google Maps (accessed February 1, 2019)
  13. ^ Pickerel Lake State Recreation Area Google Maps (accessed February 1, 2019)
  14. ^ Pierpont Lake Recreation Area, Pierpont SD Google Maps (accessed February 1, 2019)
  15. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  16. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  17. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  18. ^ Forstall, Richard L. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 19, 1999. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  19. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  20. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  21. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-03.
  22. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-03.
  23. ^ Amsden, Groton SD Google Maps (accessed February 1, 2019)
  24. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 15, 2018.

45°22′N 97°37′W / 45.37°N 97.61°W / 45.37; -97.61

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