South Dakota Cost of Living
Housing costs and affordability data for 66 counties.
Average Monthly Rent
$785/mo
Average Home Value
$181,021
Average Owner Cost
$853/mo
County cost atlas
South Dakota housing costs by county
Compare rent, entry-price context, owner costs, and cost score in one state view. Pin a county, switch layers, then open the full county profile when a place needs closer review.
Counties
66
Avg rent
$785/mo
Owner cost
$853/mo
Avg score
61.6
Higher means lower cost pressure
Atlas layers use U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. Rent, owner cost, and home value are county medians. Cost score rewards lower rent and lower owner costs, but affordability still depends on income, household size, commute, debt, and personal finances. Use this as decision context, not personalized financial advice.
State Cost Summary
Use these state averages as a starting point, then scan the atlas and rankings for the county-level spread behind them.
Housing Costs in South Dakota: An Overview
The unweighted mean of county median rents in South Dakota is $785 per month, which is 44% below the national ACS median of $1,413. This gives every county equal weight and is not an official statewide median.
Within South Dakota, housing costs vary significantly by county. Meade County has the highest median rent in this dataset at $1,264 per month and a median home value of $310,900. Jackson County has the lowest reported median rent at $442 per month and a median home value of $117,300.
The unweighted mean of county median home values in South Dakota is $181,021, 46% lower than the national ACS median of $332,700. The unweighted mean of county median household incomes is $70,004; neither figure is a household-weighted statewide estimate.
Before comparing places in South Dakota, start with the county-level pattern. Costs can swing dramatically between rural and urban counties. Use the atlas, rankings, and county links below to compare rent, home values, owner costs, and rent burden before opening a specific county profile.
Distribution
Rent Distribution in South Dakota
How median rents are spread across 66 counties
Highest Median Rent Counties
Lowest Median Rent Counties
All South Dakota Counties
Sorted by median rent, highest first. A higher cost score means lower rent and owner cost pressure within the national scoring model.
| County | Median Rent | Home Value | Owner Cost | Cost Score | Rent/Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meade County | $1,000–$1,500$1,264/mo | $310,900 | $1,247/mo | 16.4 | 25.2% |
| Lincoln County | $1,000–$1,500$1,260/mo | $348,300 | $1,597/mo | 11.5 | 25.9% |
| Pennington County | $1,000–$1,500$1,120/mo | $302,200 | $1,286/mo | 19.1 | 29.5% |
| Custer County | $1,000–$1,500$1,112/mo | $372,100 | $1,140/mo | 22.8 | 19.6% |
| Union County | $1,000–$1,500$1,069/mo | $301,100 | $1,284/mo | 21.0 | 24.6% |
| Potter County | $1,000–$1,500$1,008/mo | $121,300 | $693/mo | 52.3 | 17.9% |
| Edmunds County | Under $1,000$992/mo | $163,300 | $800/mo | 45.1 | 17.5% |
| Hughes County | Under $1,000$990/mo | $242,000 | $1,150/mo | 27.6 | 24.4% |
| Minnehaha County | Under $1,000$978/mo | $287,600 | $1,338/mo | 24.5 | 26.4% |
| Butte County | Under $1,000$972/mo | $244,600 | $1,061/mo | 31.8 | 28.5% |
| Stanley County | Under $1,000$952/mo | $203,500 | $1,058/mo | 33.4 | 27.7% |
| Lake County | Under $1,000$947/mo | $247,600 | $987/mo | 36.5 | 29.1% |
| McCook County | Under $1,000$945/mo | $230,100 | $1,005/mo | 35.7 | 25.3% |
| Codington County | Under $1,000$938/mo | $237,700 | $966/mo | 38.3 | 24.0% |
| Lawrence County | Under $1,000$938/mo | $346,500 | $1,052/mo | 34.5 | 25.9% |
| Fall River County | Under $1,000$931/mo | $193,200 | $861/mo | 45.2 | 24.6% |
| Walworth County | Under $1,000$926/mo | $136,600 | $790/mo | 50.5 | 24.6% |
| Brookings County | Under $1,000$901/mo | $264,600 | $1,151/mo | 34.3 | 24.2% |
| Beadle County | Under $1,000$879/mo | $175,100 | $928/mo | 45.3 | 27.5% |
| Douglas County | Under $1,000$877/mo | $166,900 | $735/mo | 58.8 | 17.7% |
| Davison County | Under $1,000$847/mo | $205,800 | $951/mo | 47.5 | 27.2% |
| Sully County | Under $1,000$842/mo | $205,400 | $782/mo | 59.1 | 24.7% |
| Hyde County | Under $1,000$836/mo | $181,600 | $810/mo | 57.6 | 25.7% |
| Brule County | Under $1,000$835/mo | $216,800 | $799/mo | 58.6 | 23.7% |
| Tripp County | Under $1,000$820/mo | $132,900 | $728/mo | 65.5 | 35.7% |
| Hamlin County | Under $1,000$800/mo | $208,600 | $1,054/mo | 48.1 | 21.5% |
| Clark County | Under $1,000$782/mo | $158,400 | $783/mo | 66.0 | 17.6% |
| Hanson County | Under $1,000$782/mo | $191,200 | $1,008/mo | 52.3 | 17.7% |
| Yankton County | Under $1,000$781/mo | $225,900 | $1,011/mo | 52.3 | 23.4% |
| Brown County | Under $1,000$777/mo | $221,100 | $1,162/mo | 47.4 | 27.4% |
| Faulk County | Under $1,000$771/mo | $147,500 | $696/mo | 73.8 | 19.8% |
| Clay County | Under $1,000$770/mo | $232,300 | $1,252/mo | 46.2 | 29.6% |
| Grant County | Under $1,000$763/mo | $171,000 | $817/mo | 65.8 | 24.3% |
| Campbell County | Under $1,000$760/mo | $115,900 | $712/mo | 73.8 | 22.5% |
| Moody County | Under $1,000$758/mo | $226,500 | $898/mo | 60.8 | 22.4% |
| Marshall County | Under $1,000$752/mo | $156,500 | $741/mo | 72.5 | 16.5% |
| Aurora County | Under $1,000$747/mo | $151,900 | $787/mo | 69.6 | 18.8% |
| Turner County | Under $1,000$742/mo | $222,900 | $959/mo | 59.0 | 22.8% |
| Perkins County | Under $1,000$738/mo | $114,600 | $679/mo | 78.3 | 22.7% |
| Spink County | Under $1,000$734/mo | $123,300 | $748/mo | 73.7 | 19.5% |
| Ziebach County | Under $1,000$734/mo | $99,600 | $639/mo | 81.4 | 27.4% |
| Hutchinson County | Under $1,000$727/mo | $163,000 | $743/mo | 74.6 | 22.7% |
| Sanborn County | Under $1,000$725/mo | $135,600 | $788/mo | 71.5 | 28.4% |
| Mellette County | Under $1,000$708/mo | $84,100 | $611/mo | 85.4 | 21.3% |
| Charles Mix County | Under $1,000$704/mo | $170,600 | $736/mo | 77.1 | 21.7% |
| Dewey County | Under $1,000$692/mo | $69,600 | $647/mo | 84.0 | 23.2% |
| Kingsbury County | Under $1,000$685/mo | $169,500 | $815/mo | 72.5 | 28.4% |
| Day County | Under $1,000$660/mo | $173,600 | $877/mo | 69.9 | 23.8% |
| Roberts County | Under $1,000$658/mo | $154,500 | $716/mo | 81.4 | 21.3% |
| Lyman County | Under $1,000$651/mo | $165,800 | $749/mo | 79.3 | 17.8% |
| Bon Homme County | Under $1,000$646/mo | $134,100 | $756/mo | 79.0 | 20.5% |
| Miner County | Under $1,000$644/mo | $142,600 | $752/mo | 79.5 | 22.5% |
| Deuel County | Under $1,000$642/mo | $205,900 | $827/mo | 74.1 | 18.3% |
| Jerauld County | Under $1,000$632/mo | $150,800 | $739/mo | 80.8 | 19.3% |
| Bennett County | Under $1,000$617/mo | $156,400 | $622/mo | 89.6 | 17.2% |
| Gregory County | Under $1,000$614/mo | $139,900 | $578/mo | 92.5 | 22.9% |
| McPherson County | Under $1,000$594/mo | $85,600 | $603/mo | 91.0 | 18.9% |
| Hand County | Under $1,000$587/mo | $159,300 | $799/mo | 77.7 | 21.9% |
| Haakon County | Under $1,000$584/mo | $164,200 | $763/mo | 80.3 | 17.3% |
| Oglala Lakota County | Under $1,000$584/mo | $52,900 | $407/mo | 98.4 | 14.9% |
| Jones County | Under $1,000$543/mo | $139,600 | $883/mo | 72.6 | 17.3% |
| Buffalo County | Under $1,000$540/mo | $117,800 | $340/mo | 99.3 | 21.8% |
| Todd County | Under $1,000$532/mo | $53,900 | $411/mo | 99.2 | 18.4% |
| Harding County | Under $1,000$521/mo | $166,100 | $812/mo | 77.6 | 9.0% |
| Corson County | Under $1,000$496/mo | $69,800 | $572/mo | 94.5 | 20.1% |
| Jackson County | Under $1,000$442/mo | $117,300 | $634/mo | 90.8 | 26.7% |
Compare South Dakota to Other States
See how South Dakota counties stack up against counties in other states. Compare rent, home values, and affordability side by side.
Start a ComparisonFrequently Asked Questions About South Dakota Housing Costs
Which South Dakota county has the lowest median rent?
Which South Dakota county has the highest median rent?
How does South Dakota's cost of living compare to the national average?
What is the unweighted county-mean home value in South Dakota?
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Compare Moving QuotesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.