Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Wessington Springs’ age of the median resident is 61 years, above both South Dakota’s towns (39.5 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). Of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare, none has a lower middle household income than Wessington Springs. Its National Register listings include Robert S. Vessey House and Methodist Episcopal Church of Wessington Springs. Wessington Springs has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Wessington Springs beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1910.
8 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Wessington Springs, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Wessington Springs.
Wessington Springs has lost 2.3% of its people since 2020, down to 753 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. Nearly a quarter of Wessington Springs adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more.
| Wessington Springs | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 18% | 22% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 33% | 29% |
58% women, 42% men
About 74 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2.8 points). Across South Dakota, 49.2% of residents are women.
| Wessington Springs | SD | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.7% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 6.3% | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 2.2% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.9% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 6.7% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 4.4% | 10.7% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.2% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 20.1% | 11% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 25.4% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 9% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 45.9% | 29% | 26% |
| Some college | 16% | 19.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 5.5% | 12.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.2% | 21.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 2.4% | 10% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 800, single groups can be off by several points
Two of the 6 schools are below, and why each made the list. The Wessington Springs School District 36-2 runs its public schools.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wessington Springs Elementary - 02Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 145 | B |
| Wessington Springs High School - 01Largest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 94 | A |
NCES · EDFacts
Zillow values the typical Wessington Springs home at about $250,000, up 4.8% in a year, 22% below the South Dakota typical home. Among households in the town, 77% are owner-occupiers.
| Wessington Springs | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $560 a month | $962 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 77% | 68% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
In July, afternoons reach 85°; in January, nights fall to 8°, and about 45 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The average commute in Wessington Springs is 16 minutes. In Wessington Springs, about one in three working residents works in town. The town had 448 jobs in 2023, down 42 from 2013. The top destinations are Huron (9%), Alpena (8%) and Mitchell (5%).
| Wessington Springs | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 30% | 29% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected damage from storms and floods is higher here than in just over three fifths of U.S. communities. Federal aid has come to Wessington Springs households in 7 declared disasters; the latest was in 2019.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Only 2 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a lower share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Wessington Springs. In Wessington Springs, 18% of adults have been diagnosed with depression. On the CDC’s 26 measures, Wessington Springs is ahead of South Dakota on 6 and behind on 8.
| Wessington Springs | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 19% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 31% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 17% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 10% | 12% |
| What stands out | Wessington Springs | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13.5% | 18.8% |
| Fewer adults in frequent mental distress | 12.4% | 15.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 14.8% | 9.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Wessington Springs City Park | — | 36 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Wessington Springs; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Wessington Springs residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
8 places in Wessington Springs on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in South Dakota, United States
Wessington Springs is a city and the county seat of Jerauld County, South Dakota, United States. As of the 2020 census, Wessington Springs had a population of 771.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Wessington Springs has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
2 notable people were born here, including David Rumelhart and Quinten Burg.
