Calumet Hotel · National Register of Historic Places
Wasta’s story
119 years in pictures
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1907Wasta is settled
WastaSD
A town of 60, settled in 1907.
Calumet Hotel · Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
60
2025 Census estimate · −4.8% since 2020
Median home value
$109K
Census ACS
Household income
$34K
median
Median age
62.6
years
Land area
0 sq mi
Is Wasta a good place to live?
Wasta’s median age is 62.6 years, against 39.5 years in South Dakota’s towns and 40.5 years across U.S. towns. No town among the 36 in South Dakota we compare has a lower income of the median household than Wasta. Calumet Hotel is on the National Register of Historic Places. Wasta has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
60 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Wasta: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Wasta, and how to reach them.
PowerBlack Hills Energy15.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWasta water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Wasta’s trash rules yet
Register to voteIn personSouth Dakota has no online registration; you can register in person until 15 days before Election Day or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections herePennington County AuditorPennington County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code5779157791 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Wasta.
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Wasta is inland flooding, at a high overall level
Expected damage from storms and floods is higher here than in 74% of U.S. communities. 52% of Wasta’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by wildfires at 15%.
74risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
A typical July afternoon in Wasta is hotter than in the typical South Dakota or U.S. town
Wasta has cold, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. July afternoons reach 89°, January nights drop to 11° and about 30 inches of snow falls in a winter.
30″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–37°
Spring33–60°
Summer57–86°
Fall35–63°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 10
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Wasta is
The share of adults in Wasta who had a checkup this year is 79%, above South Dakota’s towns (76%) and close to U.S. towns (79%). On the CDC’s 26 measures, Wasta is ahead of South Dakota on 1 and behind on 5. 30% of adults sleep under 7 hours here. Also worth knowing: only 2 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Wasta.
| Wasta | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 31% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 10% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 36% |
26 measures vs. South Dakota
1 better20 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Wasta | SD |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.6% | 75.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.6% | 9.2% |
Monument Health Rapid City Hospital
37.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wasta
16pages on Wasta
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Wasta; the nearest are
Western Dakota Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Rapid City36.4 mi$8,294 in-state tuitionSouth Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyUniversity or college · Public · Rapid City37.7 mi$10,500 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Wasta residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
About Wasta
Town in South Dakota, United States
Wasta (Lakota: wašté) is a town in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States, situated along the Cheyenne River. It had a population of 65 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,320 ft
- ZIP code
- 57791
- Area code
- 605
Questions about Wasta
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Wasta, SD a good place to live?
Wasta has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.