Wasta () is a town in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States, situated along the Cheyenne River. It had a population of 65 at the 2020 census.
History
A post office called Wasta has been in operation since 1907. Wasta is a name derived from the Dakota word "wašté", meaning "good".
Geography
Wasta sits along Interstate 90 in the western part of South Dakota.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land.
Climate
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 80 people, 36 households, and 20 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 46 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 100.0% White. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.
There were 36 households, of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.4% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.90.
The median age in the town was 40.5 years. 22.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.6% were from 25 to 44; 22.6% were from 45 to 64; and 21.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 52.5% male and 47.5% female.
2000 census
As of the census
In popular culture
The Redwood Motel in Wasta was used extensively as a filming site for the movie Thunderheart.