1966 · Blizzard '66 · Wikimedia Commons
Wagner’s story
Wagner in pictures
3 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
- 1966Blizzard '66
- 2004SDMap-doton-Wagner
WagnerSD
A town of 1,529. Safer than 5% of U.S. towns.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: skua47 · CC BY 2.0
Population
1,529
−4.9% since 2010
Median home value
$136K
Census ACS
Household income
$47K
median
Median age
34.3
years
Jobs based here
1,047
A job hub
What makes Wagner stand out
The 3 things Wagner does most differently from other towns.
100 U.S. towns● Wagner
Safety
Safer than 5%
of U.S. towns we grade
Safety Grade D. FBI data, crimes reported to police.
1,047jobs here
Work
1,047 jobs
based in Wagner, a regional job hub
43% of working residents work in town.
100 U.S. towns● Wagner
Health
90% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than SD on 1 measures, worse on 15.
A job hub
Every workday, about 830 people come to Wagner for work
Where Wagner’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,047jobs based in Wagner
43%of working residents work in town
6 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Wagner’s report card
Now in Wagner
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Wagner? Is a D for safety right?
Your answer becomes a post in Wagner’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →70°
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
H 0° · L 62°
Local news
All →- Nebraska man identified as victim in Sept. 17 crash near WagnerMitchell Daily Republic · Sep 21
- No. 5 Winner hands Wagner first loss in physical Class 11B clashMitchell Daily Republic · Sep 18
- One killed in pickup versus tractor crash near WagnerMitchell Daily Republic · Sep 18
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Wagner. Another town gets a different order.
Safety
Less crime per resident than 5% of U.S. towns
Wagner reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 95% report less.
DSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Wagner9.9
South Dakota3.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Wagner23.3
South Dakota14.3
U.S.15.5
5th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
4th
percentile among SD towns
14
violent crimes reported in 2025
33
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Work & commute
About one in two working residents works right in Wagner
43% of Wagner’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Dante (11%), Sioux Falls (7%) and Bryan (4%). Half commute less than 6 miles.
43%work in town
Where working residents work
In Wagner43%
Dante11%
Sioux Falls7%
Bryan4%
Lake Andes3%
6 mi
median commute distance
1,047
jobs based in Wagner
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
Healthier than 10% of U.S. towns
Wagner beats the South Dakota average on 1 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 15.
DHealth Grade
26 measures vs. South Dakota
1 better10 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Wagner | SD |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79% | 75.9% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 5.6% | 3.5% |
Wagner Community Memorial Hospital - Cah
0.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
10th
percentile among SD towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Schools
Wagner’s public schools outperform 26% of South Dakota districts
The public schools Wagner’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 74% of South Dakota’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
CSchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wagner Elementary - 02 | K–4 | 333 | C− |
| Wagner Middle School - 03 | 5–8 | 283 | C− |
| Wagner High School - 01 | 9–12 | 201 | B |
| Early Learning Center - 04 | PK | 102 | Not graded |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SD on state tests and graduationAll 4 schools →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Wagner has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 11°, and about 31 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
31″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–34°
Spring36–60°
Summer61–85°
Fall38–62°
Oct 9
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with cold waves at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 43% of U.S. communities.
43risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingTornadoes
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Famous people from Wagner
3 notable people were born in Wagner.
About Wagner
City in South Dakota, United States
Wagner is a city in Charles Mix County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,490 at the 2020 census. The city is served by Wagner Municipal Airport as well as YST Transit buses.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 1,490
- Area
- 1.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,447 ft
- ZIP code
- 57380
- Area code
- 605
Wagner’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Wagner.
BryanLawrenceWagner
More about Wagner
Still missing for Wagner:upcoming events