CostBy County

Cost of Living in Lawrence County, South Dakota

$938/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$346,500
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$938/mo
19% above state average
Median Home Value
$346,500
4% above national
Census GRAPI
25.9%
Median gross rent as % of renter income

Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)

Affordability Rating
Affordable
Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income

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 Lawrence County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Lawrence County$938/mo
South Dakota Average$785/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$938/mo
Median Gross Rent
$346,500
Median Home Value
$1,052/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
25.9%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Lawrence County ranks #2,125 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 32%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Lawrence County Median Home Value Estimated at $346,500

The median home value in Lawrence County was estimated at $346,500 according to the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. This figure is $165,479 above the South Dakota unweighted county mean of $181,021. For renter-occupied units, the median gross rent reached $938 per month, which is $153 higher than the state unweighted county mean of $785. The official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI), provided in ACS table B25071, is 25.9%. This percentage is 3.2 percentage points higher than the state unweighted county mean official GRAPI of 22.7%. Among homeowners, the median selected monthly owner costs for all owner-occupied units were $1,052, exceeding the state unweighted county mean of $853. The median income for renter households in the county was reported at $45,875. These statistics represent a five-year snapshot of housing costs and income within the county. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Lawrence County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 25.9% of renter household income in Lawrence 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 $938 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,052. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $37,520 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. Lawrence County's $938 median is 19.5% above that comparison value.

Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Lawrence County

$

Rent Burden

15.3%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,712

per month

Owner Cost Burden

17.2%

of gross income

The median home in Lawrence County may be a stretch

Median home value is $346,500. Estimated monthly cost: $2,766 vs. your max of $1,712.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income15.3%
Recommended max30.0%

Income Needed Calculator

See how much you need to earn to comfortably afford housing

$
Rent Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $73,384Needed: $37,520
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $73,384Needed: $45,086
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? No
Your income: $73,384Needed: $80,640

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

What is the cost of living in Lawrence County, South Dakota?
Lawrence County, South Dakota has a median monthly rent of $938/mo and a median home value of $346,500. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 25.9% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Lawrence County?
The median gross rent in Lawrence County is $938/mo. This is 19% above state average for South Dakota.
Is Lawrence County affordable?
Lawrence County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 25.9%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Lawrence County's rent compare to the state average?
Lawrence County's median rent of $938/mo is 19% above state average of $785/mo for South Dakota.
What is the median home value in Lawrence County?
The median home value in Lawrence County, South Dakota is $346,500. This is 4% above the national median home value of $332,700.

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Published by the CostByCounty Editorial Team. See our methodology and corrections policy.Data build reviewed 2026-07-09; first published 2026-03-10.

Data: 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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