Wakpala, South Dakota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 144, Wakpala's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Wakpala is a small community located in South Dakota, within Corson County. The total population is 144. It ranks as the 266th most populous out of 439 Census-designated places in South Dakota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wakpala is 32.8 years. This is 14% lower than the state median of 38.0 years. With 34.7% of the population under 18, Wakpala has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Wakpala is $20,938. This is 72% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 74% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 75.0%. This is 529% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 54.8%. This is 1769% higher than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $62,500. Housing costs are 76% lower than the state median of $257,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 31.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 54% lower than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wakpala is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. The White (non-Hispanic) population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 79.8%.

Education

2.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 93% lower than the state rate of 31.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 80.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Wakpala, South Dakota is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against South Dakota state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 439 Census-designated places in South Dakota. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.