Volga ( ) is a city in Brookings County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 2,113 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 2,340 in 2023. By the next year, Volga had five general stores and two hardware stores, as well as two hotels and three lumber yards. By sometime in the early 1880s, there were four hotels, chief of which was the Farrington. The lumber yard owned by the Laird, Norton Company was closed in 1884.
In November 1994, it was decided that a soybean processing plant – expected to create 67 jobs – would be built in Volga. Prairie AquaTech, a fish feed company, built a facility to the south of the Volga plant in 2019.
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<br>2020 Census
! Pop. 2010
!
! % 2000
! % 2010
!
|-
| White alone (NH)
| 1,412
| 1,702
| style='background: #ffffe6; |1,917
| 98.40%
| 96.27%
| style='background: #ffffe6; |90.72%
|-
| Black or African American alone (NH)
| 0
| 1
| style='background: #ffffe6; |13
| 0.00%
| 0.06%
| style='background: #ffffe6; |0.62%
|-
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
| 6
| 7
| style='background: #ffffe6; |22
| 0.42%
| 0.40%
| style='background: #ffffe6; |1.04%
|-
| Asian alone (NH)
| 3
| 5
| style='background: #ffffe6; |5
| 0.21%
| 0.28%
| style='background: #ffffe6; |0.24%
|-
| Pacific Islander alone (NH)
| 0
| 0
| style='background: #ffffe6; |0
| 0.00%
| 0.00%
| style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
| Other race alone (NH)
| 0
| 0
| style='background: #ffffe6; |3
| 0.00%
| 0.00%
| style='background: #ffffe6; |0.14%
|-
| Mixed race or multiracial (NH)
| 8
| 6
| style='background: #ffffe6; |47
| 0.56%
| 0.34%
| style='background: #ffffe6; |2.22%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (any race)
| 6
| 47
| style='background: #ffffe6; |106
| 0.42%
| 2.66%
| style='background: #ffffe6; |5.02%
|-
| Total
| 1,435
| 1,768
| style='background: #ffffe6; |2,113
| 100.00%
| 100.00%
| style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%
|}
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 2,113 people, 872 households, and 542 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 938 housing units at an average density of .
The median age was 35.2 years. 26.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older.
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| White || 1,945 || 92.0%
|-
| Black or African American || 13 || 0.6%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 22 || 1.0%
|-
| Asian || 5 || 0.2%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0.0%
|-
| Some other race || 62 || 2.9%
|-
| Two or more races || 66 || 3.1%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 106 || 5.0%
|}
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 1,768 people, 734 households, and 483 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 783 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.25% White, 0.28% African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from some other races and 0.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.66% of the population.
There were 734 households, of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.2% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.98.
The median age in the city was 33.8 years. 26.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30.2% were from 25 to 44; 22.2% were from 45 to 64; and 13.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.2% male and 50.8% female.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 1,435 people, 571 households, and 413 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 596 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.75% White, 0.00% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.00% from some other races and 0.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.42% of the population.
There were 571 households, out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.5% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.
As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $41,818, and the median income for a family was $51,131. Males had a median income of $31,083 versus $23,190 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,237. About 3.4% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.1% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.
Culture
thumb|The Brookings County Museum in Volga
Old Timers Day in Volga occurs in the second week of June every year and is capped off by an over-21-only street dance and many private parties.
Points of interest
There are four places in Volga listed on the National Register of Historic Places: the Henry-Martinson House (added in 1977), the Volga Auditorium (added in 2000), the John L. Hall House (added in 2010) and the Volga Hospital (added in 2023).
The Brookings County Museum, consisting of six buildings, is situated in Volga City Park. The museum contains around 5,000 artifacts related to the county's history. It was initially set up in the Brookings County Courthouse, in 1939. In 1965, Volga's City Council provided the Brookings County Historical Society land for a museum. The 1872 Sundet Log Cabin – previously ten miles south of Brookings – was also relocated there, in 1973. The museum complex also includes a 19th century one-room rural school, the Vintage Farm Equipment building, and the James Hauxhurst House.
Schadé Vineyard is a winery to the west of Volga, founded in 2000.
Infrastructure
Volga is located on U.S. Route 14. The Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad serves Volga, passing through it.
Education
thumb|Volga Christian School
Public schools
Volga is served by the Sioux Valley School District. The district has one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school. Students attend Sioux Valley High School. Three communities are included in the Sioux Valley school system: Bruce, Sinai, and Volga.
The Sioux Valley Cossacks football team is traditionally one of the strongest teams in the 11B classification.
As of 2020, the Sioux Valley Cossacks competitive cheer team has won 14 consecutive State A Cheer titles.
Private schools
Volga also has a private K through 8th school called the Volga Christian School.
Media
Newspapers
The Volga Tribune is a local weekly newspaper that has been published since 1882.
Radio
The KBRK radio station has been broadcasting in the Brookings area since 1955. was founded with its studios in Volga in 1983.
- Del Paddock, Major League Baseball player
See also
- List of cities in South Dakota
References
External links
- City of Volga – official website
- SD Department of Transportation's map of Volga
- Sioux Valley School District