United States › South Dakota › Wolsey CITY
Wolsey South Dakota · 471 residents (2025 est.) · 2.27 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Wolsey is home to 692 people in South Dakota. The population has risen by half since 2000, adding 274 people. The typical home is worth $101,200, having roughly tripled since 2000. This skews young, with a median age of 33.8. The foreign-born share is 0%. About 25% of adults have finished a four-year degree.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 33.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 54%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 418 in 2000
471 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
306 / sq mi
+172%since 2009
from 112 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 42.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
205 352 500 647 794 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Wolsey Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $57,500
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,313 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,319 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 17.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.431 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 6%
Transportation & warehousing 4.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.1%
Education & health services 1.2%
Public administration 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
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$101,200
+54%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$739
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $456 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 81.6% in 2000
25.8% rent
from 19.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.88 people
+59%since 2009
from 1.81 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.0 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 99%(414)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 79.3%(549)
Hispanic / Latino 18.6%(129)
from 0 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 4 more ancestry groups with data from 11.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 82.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 0.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 74.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 16.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 3.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 72.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 73.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 15.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 22.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 16.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 17.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 64.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 79.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 94.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 5.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 17.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 56.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 16.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 71.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 32.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 50%(20)
Share of the 40 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Wolsey, South Dakota? Wolsey, South Dakota has about 692 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Wolsey, South Dakota? The typical household in Wolsey, South Dakota earns about $57,500 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Wolsey, South Dakota expensive? In Wolsey, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $101,200, and the typical rent is about $739 a month.
How educated are people in Wolsey, South Dakota? About 24.5% of adults age 25 and over in Wolsey, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Wolsey, South Dakota? About 6.4% of people in Wolsey, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Wolsey, South Dakota grown since 1990? Yes, Wolsey, South Dakota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 246 residents, a change of about 55 percent over that period.
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