Cost of Living in Brown County, South Dakota
At a Glance
Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)
These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.
How Brown County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Brown County ranks #1,717 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 45%)
Sourced county brief
Brown County median owner costs are $1,162 per month
Brown County's median selected monthly owner costs for all owner-occupied units is $1,162, which is $309 above the South Dakota unweighted county mean of $853. The median home value in the county is $221,100, while the state unweighted county mean is $181,021. For renter-occupied units, the median gross rent is $777 per month, slightly below the state unweighted county mean of $785. The official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) is 27.4%. This figure is 4.7 percentage points higher than the state unweighted county mean official GRAPI of 22.7%. The median renter-household income was recorded at $36,588. This brief incorporates data from ACS tables B25064, B25071, B25077, B25088, and B25119 from the 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. The dataVersion for this record is acs5-2020-2024 and the methodologyVersion is cost-brief-v1, last reviewed on 2026-07-10. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.
Source record
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25064 Median Gross Rent
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25071 GRAPI
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25077 Median Home Value
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25088 Selected Monthly Owner Costs
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25119 Household Income by Tenure
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-brief-v1
Cost of Living Advisory: Brown County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 27.4% of renter household income in Brown County, which is below the 30% affordability benchmark. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.
Rent vs. Own
Median gross rent is $777 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,162. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $31,080 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.
Regional Context
The South Dakota unweighted mean of county median rents is $785 per month. Brown County's $777 median is 1.0% below that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Brown County
Rent Burden
13.2%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$1,654
per month
Owner Cost Burden
19.7%
of gross income
The median home in Brown County may be a stretch
Median home value is $221,100. Estimated monthly cost: $1,765 vs. your max of $1,654.
Rent Affordability Guide
Income Needed Calculator
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Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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See Today's RatesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.
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