Day County, South Dakota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 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  (2023)	5,451
• Density	4.9945/sq mi (1.9284/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	At-large

Day County is a county located in the state of South Dakota in the United States. It's like a special area within the state. In 2020, about 5,449 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, is Webster. The county was named after Merritt H. Day, who was an important pioneer and a lawmaker in the Dakota Territory back in 1879.

What Day County Looks Like (Geography)

Day County has rolling hills, which means the land goes up and down gently. A lot of this land is used for farming. You'll also find many lakes and ponds, especially in the eastern part of the county. The land generally slopes downwards towards the west. The highest point in the county is in its northeast corner, which is about 2,014 feet (614 meters) above sea level.

The total area of Day County is about 1,091 square miles (2,826 square kilometers). Most of this is land (1,028 square miles or 2,662 square kilometers), and a smaller part is water (63 square miles or 163 square kilometers).

Lakes You Can Find Here

Main Roads (Major Highways)

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

Neighboring Counties

Day County shares its borders with these other counties:

Special Natural Areas (Protected Areas)

These are places set aside to protect nature and wildlife:

Who Lives Here (Demographics)

What the 2020 Census Showed

In 2020, the census counted 5,449 people living in Day County. There were 2,370 households (groups of people living together) and 1,451 families. On average, there were about 5.3 people per square mile. The average income for a household was $57,558 per year. For families, it was $76,583. About 14.7% of all people in the county lived below the poverty line. This included 21.5% of kids under 18 and 11.9% of people aged 65 or older.

What the 2010 Census Showed

In 2010, there were 5,710 people in Day County. Most people (88.1%) were white, and 9.5% were American Indian. A small number were from other backgrounds. About 1.1% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino origin.

Many people in Day County have ancestors from Germany (43.8%), Norway (25.1%), Poland (12.8%), and Ireland (8.8%). The average age of people in the county was 47.9 years old. The average income for a household was $36,818 per year. About 12.5% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Towns and Cities (Communities)

Day County has several towns and cities where people live:

Cities

• Bristol
• Waubay
• Webster (This is the main town, or county seat)

Towns

Special Designated Area (Census-designated place)

• Enemy Swim

Small Villages (Unincorporated communities)

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Day para niños