Total enrollment
881
+143 (+19%) vs SY 2017-18
Day County
South Dakota · Public K-12
In Day County, South Dakota, the public-school system rolls up to 7 schools and roughly 881 K-12 students, with county median household income around $66,033. By level, that breaks down as 3 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools.
7-year change in Day County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
7
+1 (+17%) vs SY 2017-18
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
7
3 districts
Enrollment
881
NCES CCD
Median income
$66,033
Below South Dakota avg
Free/reduced lunch
47.7%
Above South Dakota avg
Elementary
3
520 students
Middle
2
132 students
High
2
229 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Webster Area School District 18-5
546 students · 3 districts in Day County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Day County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
22.0%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
7.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
2.1%
civilian labor
Median age
45
22.4% under 18
Test scores in Day County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 3 schools ranked. South Dakota state average: 50.4%.
Top 3 schools (ELA)
- Webster Area Middle School - 02· 65.7%
- Webster Area Elementary - 03· 61.7%
- Waubay Elementary - 02· 41.9%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Webster Area Elementary - 03 | Webster | Elementary | PK-05 | 274 | · |
| Webster Area High School - 01 | Webster | High | 09-12 | 164 | · |
| Enemy Swim Day School | Waubay | Elementary | KG-08 | 158 | · |
| Webster Area Middle School - 02 | Webster | Middle | 06-08 | 108 | · |
| Waubay Elementary - 02 | Waubay | Elementary | PK-06 | 88 | · |
| Waubay High School - 01 | Waubay | High | 09-12 | 65 | · |
| Waubay Middle School - 03 | Waubay | Middle | 07-08 | 24 | · |
Cities in Day County
About Day County
Across the compact South Dakota county of Day County of about 5,437 residents, the public-school footprint covers 7 schools and about 881 students.
In context, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $66,033, roughly 22% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the federal-poverty share is near 8%. That income level is 6% noticeably below the South Dakota median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Day County comprises 3 elementary schools (520 students), 2 middle schools (132), and 2 high schools (229).
Webster Area School District 18-5 is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 546 students across Day County.
Looking at the last 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment rose 19%: 738 students in SY 2017-18 versus 881 in SY 2024-25. Day County now counts 7 public schools, up from 6 in SY 2017-18.
On this page, the community for Day County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data