Day County, South Dakota

County in South Dakota, United States

U.S. county in South Dakota

Day County

U.S. county

First National Bank (Webster, South Dakota)

Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota

South Dakota's location within the U.S.

Country|  United States
State|  South Dakota
Founded| 1880
Named for| Merritt H. Day
Seat| Webster
Largest city| Webster
Area

• Total| 1,091 sq mi (2,830 km2)
• Land| 1,028 sq mi (2,660 km2)
• Water| 63 sq mi (160 km2)  5.8%
Population

(2020)

• Total| 5,449
• Estimate

(2021)

| 5,414
• Density| 5.0/sq mi (1.9/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| At-large
Website| day.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]

## Contents

* 1 Geography
* 1.1 Lakes
* 1.2 Major highways
* 1.3 Adjacent counties
* 1.4 Protected areas
* 2 Demographics
* 2.1 2000 census
* 2.2 2010 census
* 3 Communities
* 3.1 Cities
* 3.2 Towns
* 3.3 Unincorporated communities
* 3.4 Townships
* 4 Politics
* 5 See also
* 6 References
* 7 External links

## Geography

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Native Vegetation based on NRCS soils information

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' (614m) 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

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* Amsden
* Antelope
* Bitter
* Blue Dog
* Enemy Swim
* Horseshoe
* Lynn
* Minnewaste
* Pickerel Lake
* Reetz
* Rush
* Sweetwater
* Waubay

### Major highways

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* U.S. Highway 12
* South Dakota Highway 25
* South Dakota Highway 27

### Adjacent counties

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* Marshall County \- north
* Roberts County \- east
* Grant County \- southeast
* Codington County \- southeast
* Clark County \- south
* Spink County \- southwest
* Brown County \- west

### Protected areas

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* 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

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Historical population

Census | Pop. |  | %±
1880| 97| | —
1890| 9,168| | 9,351.5%
1900| 12,254| | 33.7%
1910| 14,372| | 17.3%
1920| 15,194| | 5.7%
1930| 14,606| | −3.9%
1940| 13,565| | −7.1%
1950| 12,294| | −9.4%
1960| 10,516| | −14.5%
1970| 8,713| | −17.1%
1980| 8,133| | −6.7%
1990| 6,978| | −14.2%
2000| 6,267| | −10.2%
2010| 5,710| | −8.9%
2020| 5,449| | −4.6%
2021 (est.)| 5,414| [15]| −0.6%
US Decennial Census[16]
1790-1960[17] 1900-1990[18]
1990-2000[19] 2010-2020[1]

### 2000 census

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As of the 2000 United States Census,[20] there were 6,267 people, 2,586 households, and 1,688 families in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile (2/km2). There were 3,618 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 91.26% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 7.40% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 0.38% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 34.5% were of German, 26.9% Norwegian and 10.9% Polish ancestry.

There were 2,586 households, out of which 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.40% were married couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.70% were non-families. 31.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.98.

The county population contained 25.50% under the age of 18, 5.20% from 18 to 24, 22.40% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 23.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 96.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,227, and the median income for a family was $38,011. Males had a median income of $27,279 versus $18,179 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,856. About 11.40% of families and 14.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.40% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over.

### 2010 census

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As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 5,710 people, 2,504 households, and 1,561 families in the county.[21] 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 per square mile (1.4/km2).[22] 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.[21] 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.[23]

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.[21]

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.[24]

## Communities

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### Cities

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* Bristol
* Waubay
* Webster (county seat)

### Towns

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* Andover
* Butler
* Grenville
* Pierpont
* Roslyn

### Unincorporated communities

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* Amsden[25]
* Crandall
* Enemy Swim[26]
* Holmquist
* Lily

### Townships

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* 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

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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 posted the best-ever percentage in the county by a Republican presidential candidate.

United States presidential election results for Day County, South Dakota[27] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party

|
|
|

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

## See also

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* National Register of Historic Places listings in Day County, South Dakota
* Historic Mapworks: Day County 1929 Township Maps

## References

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1. ^ a b "2020 Census Results". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
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 SD Google Maps (accessed 1 February 2019)
6. ^ ""Find an Altitude" Google Maps (accessed 1 February 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
8. ^ Buchner Slough State Public Shooting Area, Webster SD Google Maps (accessed 1 February 2019)
9. ^ Holmquist Slough State Public Shooting Area, Webster SD Google Maps (accessed 1 February 2019)
10. ^ Lily State Public Shooting Area Google Maps (accessed 1 February 2019)
11. ^ Myland Pass State Public Shooting Area, Webster SD Google Maps (accessed 1 February 2019)
12. ^ Nelson Slough State Public Shooting Area, Webster SD Google Maps (accessed 1 February 2019)
13. ^ Pickerel Lake State Recreation Area Google Maps (accessed 1 February 2019)
14. ^ Pierpont Lake Recreation Area, Pierpont SD Google Maps (accessed 1 February 2019)
15. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021". Retrieved March 25, 2022.
16. ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
17. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
18. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
19. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
20. ^ "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
21. ^ a b c "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
22. ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
23. ^ "Selected Social Characteristics in the US – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
24. ^ "Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
25. ^ Amsden, Groton SD Google Maps (accessed 1 February 2019)
26. ^ Enemy Swim Google Maps (accessed 1 February 2019)
27. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 15, 2018.

## External links

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* Day County, South Dakota website

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

Places adjacent to Day County, South Dakota

|  | Marshall County |

|
|

|  |
Brown County |

Day County, South Dakota

| Roberts County
|  |
Spink County | Clark County | Grant County and Codington County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Day County, South Dakota, United States

County seat: Webster

Cities|

* Bristol
* Waubay
* Webster

Towns|

* Andover
* Butler
* Grenville
* Pierpont
* Roslyn

CDP|

* Enemy Swim

Other
communities|

* Crandall
* Holmquist
* Lily

Indian reservation|

* Lake Traverse Indian Reservation‡

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

State of South Dakota

Pierre (capital)

Topics|

* Outline
* Cities
* Famous South Dakotans
* Geography
* Government
* Delegations
* Elections
* History
* Bibliography
* Timeline
* State Parks
* Symbols
* Tourist attractions
* Towns and villages
* Townships
* Transportation

Society|

* Culture
* Crime
* Demographics
* Economy
* Education
* Colleges and universities
* Politics

Regions|

* Badlands
* Black Hills
* Coteau des Prairies
* Missouri Coteau
* Dissected Till Plains
* Drift Prairie
* East River
* Pine Ridge
* Siouxland
* West River

Larger incorporated places
pop. over 5,000|

* Aberdeen
* Belle Fourche
* Box Elder
* Brandon
* Brookings
* Harrisburg
* Huron
* Madison
* Mitchell
* Pierre
* Rapid City
* Sioux Falls
* Spearfish
* Sturgis
* Tea
* Vermillion
* Watertown
* Yankton

Smaller incorporated places
pop. 1,000 - 5,000|

* Aurora
* Baltic
* Beresford
* Britton
* Canton
* Chamberlain
* Clark
* Clear Lake
* Crooks
* Custer
* De Smet
* Deadwood
* Dell Rapids
* Eagle Butte
* Elk Point
* Flandreau
* Fort Pierre
* Freeman
* Garretson
* Gettysburg
* Gregory
* Groton
* Hartford
* Hot Springs
* Lead
* Lemmon
* Lennox
* Milbank
* Miller
* Mission
* Mobridge
* North Sioux City
* Parker
* Parkston
* Platte
* Redfield
* Salem
* Sisseton
* Springfield
* Summerset
* Tyndall
* Volga
* Wagner
* Webster
* Winner

Largest CDPs
pop. over 1,000|

* Blackhawk
* Colonial Pine Hills
* Dakota Dunes
* Fort Thompson
* Green Valley
* North Eagle Butte
* North Spearfish
* Oglala
* Pine Ridge
* Rapid Valley
* Rosebud

Counties|

* Aurora
* Beadle
* Bennett
* Bon Homme
* Brookings
* Brown
* Brule
* Buffalo
* Butte
* Campbell
* Charles Mix
* Clark
* Clay
* Codington
* Corson
* Custer
* Davison
* Day
* Deuel
* Dewey
* Douglas
* Edmunds
* Fall River
* Faulk
* Grant
* Gregory
* Haakon
* Hamlin
* Hand
* Hanson
* Harding
* Hughes
* Hutchinson
* Hyde
* Jackson
* Jerauld
* Jones
* Kingsbury
* Lake
* Lawrence
* Lincoln
* Lyman
* Marshall
* McCook
* McPherson
* Meade
* Mellette
* Miner
* Minnehaha
* Moody
* Oglala Lakota
* Pennington
* Perkins
* Potter
* Roberts
* Sanborn
* Spink
* Stanley
* Sully
* Todd
* Tripp
* Turner
* Union
* Walworth
* Yankton
* Ziebach

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