CostBy County

Cost of Living in Sanborn County, South Dakota

$725/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$135,600
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$725/mo
8% below state average
Median Home Value
$135,600
59% below national
Census GRAPI
28.4%
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 Sanborn County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Sanborn County$725/mo
South Dakota Average$785/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$725/mo
Median Gross Rent
$135,600
Median Home Value
$788/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
28.4%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Sanborn County ranks #830 of 3,142 counties for affordability (top 26%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Sanborn County Median Gross Rent Percentage Is 28.4 Percent

The official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) in Sanborn County is 28.4%, as reported in ACS table B25071. This percentage is 5.7 percentage points higher than the South Dakota unweighted county mean of 22.7%. The median gross rent for the county was estimated at $725 per month, which is below the state unweighted county mean of $785. For owner-occupied units, the median monthly owner cost is $788, compared to the state unweighted county mean of $853. The median home value in Sanborn County was recorded at $135,600, a figure that is below the state unweighted county mean of $181,021. Additionally, the median renter-household income is $34,167. These statistics represent a snapshot from the 2020-2024 five-year estimate period. Comparisons utilize unweighted county means rather than official statewide household medians. Rent and owner costs describe distinct housing-tenure groups and are not combined. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Sanborn County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 28.4% of renter household income in Sanborn 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 $725 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $788. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $29,000 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. Sanborn County's $725 median is 7.6% below that comparison value.

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

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Sanborn County

$

Rent Burden

11.0%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,838

per month

Owner Cost Burden

12.0%

of gross income

You can likely afford the median home in Sanborn County

Median home value is $135,600. Estimated monthly cost: $1,083 vs. your max of $1,838.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income11.0%
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: $78,750Needed: $29,000
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $78,750Needed: $33,771
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $78,750Needed: $31,558

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 Sanborn County, South Dakota?
Sanborn County, South Dakota has a median monthly rent of $725/mo and a median home value of $135,600. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 28.4% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Sanborn County?
The median gross rent in Sanborn County is $725/mo. This is 8% below state average for South Dakota.
Is Sanborn County affordable?
Sanborn County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 28.4%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Sanborn County's rent compare to the state average?
Sanborn County's median rent of $725/mo is 8% below state average of $785/mo for South Dakota.
What is the median home value in Sanborn County?
The median home value in Sanborn County, South Dakota is $135,600. This is 59% below 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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