SDMap-doton-Wolsey, 2004
Wolsey’s story
143 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004.
- 1883Wolsey is settled
WolseySD
A town of 471, settled in 1883.
Population
471
2025 Census estimate · +2.8% since 2020
Median home value
$101K
Census ACS
Household income
$58K
median
Median age
33.8
years
Jobs based here
136
A commuter town
Is Wolsey a good place to live?
35% of residents are under 18 in Wolsey, above both South Dakota’s towns (22%) and U.S. towns (22%). Among 34 South Dakota towns, just 2 have a lower midpoint rent than Wolsey. Wolsey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
471 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Wolsey TownshipWolsey
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Wolsey: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Wolsey, and how to reach them.
PowerNorthWestern Energy13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWolsey 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 Wolsey’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 hereBeadle County AuditorBeadle County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP code5738457384 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 Wolsey.
Work & commute
About one in three of Wolsey’s working residents commute to Huron
The income of the median household for Wolsey comes to $58,000, where South Dakota’s towns sit at $72,000 and U.S. towns at $80,000. Just 8% of the town’s working residents have a job in town. 6.4% of Wolsey residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Huron (30%), Sioux Falls (6%) and Hitchcock (5%).
8%work in town
| Wolsey | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 7.6% | 29% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $58,000 | $72,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.4% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Wolsey8%
Huron30%
Sioux Falls6%
Hitchcock5%
Aberdeen3%
16 mi
median commute distance
136
jobs based in Wolsey
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Wolsey’s kids attend
Public schools: the Wolsey Wessington School District 02-6. Below: Two of its 3 schools, each with why it was picked.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolsey Wessington Elementary - 02Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 145 | C |
| Wolsey Wessington High School - 01Largest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 96 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts
Who lives here
More children than South Dakota overall
Since 2020, Wolsey has grown 2.8%, to 471 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. The town’s midpoint age comes in at 33.8 years. College graduates make up 25% of adults 25 and older, against 32% across South Dakota. 15% of residents are 65 or older in the town.
33.8median age · SD 38
| Wolsey | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.8 years | 39.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 15% | 19% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 25% | 33% | 29% |
WolseySouth DakotaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
21%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma22%
High school23%
Some college19%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s23%
Graduate2%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±8.5 points. Across South Dakota, 49.2% of residents are women. Among residents 35 to 44, 75% are men (SD 52%).
| Wolsey | SD | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.7% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 21% | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.8% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 15.9% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.7% | 10.7% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7.7% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.3% | 11% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 22.2% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 22.5% | 29% | 26% |
| Some college | 19.1% | 19.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.7% | 12.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.5% | 21.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 2.1% | 10% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 500, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers: that is Wolsey’s year
The range runs from 6° on a January night to 86° on a July afternoon, with about 44 inches of snow a winter.
44″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter9–29°
Spring34–57°
Summer59–83°
Fall36–60°
Oct 2
typical first frost
May 6
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Wolsey is
The share of adults in Wolsey who had a checkup this year: 75%. Among adults locally, 19% binge drink and 30% sleep under 7 hours.
| Wolsey | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 76% | 79% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 19% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 36% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
26 measures vs. South Dakota
1 better25 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Wolsey | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 9% | 12.7% |
Huron Regional Medical Center
13.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Wolsey has a moderate natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Federal aid has come to Wolsey households in 3 declared disasters; the latest was in 2011. Compared with 59% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage locally is lower. FEMA puts just over a third of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 22% to cold waves.
41risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesDrought
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
The median home in Wolsey sells for about $250K
Among households in Wolsey, 74% live in a home they own.
$250Kmedian sale price
1
homes sold in March
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wolsey
17pages on Wolsey
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Wolsey; the nearest are
Dakota Wesleyan UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Mitchell54 mi$33,790 tuitionMitchell Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Mitchell55.1 mi$7,524 in-state tuitionNorthern State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Aberdeen71.9 mi$8,845 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Wolsey residents are enrolled in college, about the same as South Dakota.
A commuter town
92% of working residents leave Wolsey for work
Where Wolsey’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
136jobs based in Wolsey
8%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Wolsey
City in South Dakota, United States
Wolsey is a city in Beadle County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 459 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,352 ft
- ZIP code
- 57384
- Area code
- 605
Questions about Wolsey
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Wolsey, SD a good place to live?
Wolsey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.