Population 547 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wessington
Household size in Wessington
| Period | Wessington | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.32 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.44 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.35 | 2.48 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Wessington are small: just 2.35 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Wessington
| Period | Wessington | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.6 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.2 | 38.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.8 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.5 | 38.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | −9.2 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Wessington are younger than 39.5 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 48.6, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Wessington
| Period | Wessington | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Wessington: 5.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Wessington
Renters in Wessington
| Period | Wessington | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.5% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.2% | 32.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.3% | 32.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.4% | 31.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Wessington own their homes; 28.4% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. About two-thirds of owners (68.0%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Wessington
| Period | Wessington | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.5% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.3% | 10.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.6% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.6% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Wessington: 20.6% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Wessington
| Period | Wessington | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1944 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1949 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1965 | 1977 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +25 | +9 | +6 |
The housing in Wessington is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1969, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Wessington
| Period | Wessington | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $597 | $631 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $674 | $692 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $518 | $798 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $564 | $1,000 | $1,571 |
| Change | −$33 | +$369 | +$606 |
The median renter in Wessington pays $564 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 14.8% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Wessington
Bachelor's degrees in Wessington
| Period | Wessington | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.7% | 26.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.6% | 27.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.8% | 29.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.4% | 32.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.6 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Wessington have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 24.4%, against 35.6% nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Wessington
| Period | Wessington | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.9% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.7% | 91.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.8% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.5% | 93.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Wessington is above the national rate: 93.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across South Dakota.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Wessington
| Period | Wessington | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.4% | 4.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.8% | 4.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.1% | 3.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.4% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Wessington has been strong: just 1.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Wessington compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wessington | 2.35 | 39.5 | 5.2% | 28.4% | 20.6% | 1969 | $564 | 24.4% | 93.5% | 1.4% |
| Vayland | 2.40 | 40.7 | 3.9% | 31.4% | 21.4% | 1964 | $554 | 28.3% | 93.8% | 1.4% |
| St. Lawrence | 1.99 | 50.9 | 8.5% | 30.3% | 18.4% | 1961 | $563 | 22.2% | 96.3% | 0.3% |
| Wolsey | 2.58 | 39.7 | 8.3% | 18.8% | 10.8% | 1972 | $683 | 23.0% | 88.4% | 0.0% |
| Miller | 2.10 | 42.9 | 8.3% | 36.3% | 16.5% | 1966 | $588 | 27.9% | 95.4% | 0.4% |
| Virgil | 2.61 | 40.0 | 8.6% | 16.9% | 10.0% | 1969 | $682 | 22.8% | 87.6% | 0.0% |
| Miller Dale Colony | 2.18 | 38.9 | 4.7% | 44.3% | 24.3% | 1956 | $547 | 30.1% | 92.1% | 2.6% |
| Hitchcock | 2.45 | 40.6 | 3.0% | 15.3% | 18.8% | 1983 | $549 | 19.1% | 96.2% | 0.0% |
| Wessington Springs | 2.12 | 55.2 | 5.8% | 19.8% | 18.7% | 1960 | $646 | 22.2% | 92.2% | 1.2% |
| Alpena | 2.40 | 41.8 | 6.9% | 10.7% | 18.2% | 1955 | $858 | 20.0% | 95.3% | 2.0% |
| Spring Valley Colony | 2.70 | 33.3 | 26.2% | 27.3% | 13.3% | 1966 | $640 | 11.4% | 91.0% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Junction City, LA · Servia, IN · Seneca, MS · Sechlerville, WI · Searsboro, IA · Scandia, KS · Lakeland Beach, OH · Klickitat, WA · Kirkland, AL · Keokee, VA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Wessington. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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