Webster is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of Day County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,728 at the 2020 census.

History

The town was platted in 1880, and was named in honor of J. B. Webster, a pioneer settler.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all land.

Climate

Demographics

2010 census

At the 2010

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

, there were 1,886 people, 878 households and 481 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 1,007 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.1%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.2%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 2.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.7% of the population. There were 878 households, of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.2% were non-families. 41.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age was 46.3 years. 22.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.2% were from 25 to 44; 26% were from 45 to 64; and 25.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.

2000 census

At the 2000

, there were 1,952 people, 866 households and 512 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 1,023 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.49%

, 1.23% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.05%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.05% from other races, and 1.08% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.26% of the population. There were 866 households, of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were

living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.86. 23.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 27.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males. The

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...

was $29,457 and the median family income was $40,982. Males had a median income of $30,121 compared with $18,380 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

was $16,398. Approximately 9.0% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Webster public schools are part of the Webster School District (South Dakota). The district has an elementary school, middle school and high school, Webster High School (South Dakota).

Media

''Reporter and Farmer'' is Day County's newspaper.

Notable people

* Sigurd Anderson – Governor of South Dakota, 1951–1954 *

Tom Brokaw Thomas John Brokaw (; born February 6, 1940) is an American author and retired network television journalist. He first served as the co-anchor of Today (American TV program), ''The Today Show'' from 1976 to 1981 with Jane Pauley, then as the anch ...

– retired television anchorman for NBC, born in Webster * Jerry Brudos – Oregon serial killer, born in Webster *

Brock Lesnar Brock Edward Lesnar ( ; born July 12, 1977) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and former Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist, Amateur wrestling, amateur wrestler and professional American football player. As a ...

– WWE professional wrestler and former

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...

, amateur wrestler and professional

American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

player, born in Webster * Creighton Leland Robertson – Episcopalian bishop and lawyer, practiced law in Webster * Lee Schoenbeck – lawyer and current president pro tempore of the South Dakota State Senate, born in Webster * William Garner Waddel – South Dakota state senator, former mayor of Webster

References

External links

Webster Area Chamber of Commerce
{{Authority control Cities in Day County, South Dakota Cities in South Dakota County seats in South Dakota Populated places established in 1895 1895 establishments in South Dakota