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South Dakota rankings · Cost of living

Most affordable towns in South Dakota

Ranked by how many years of a typical SD household income ($75,081) it takes to buy each town's median home. Lower is easier to buy in. 37 towns with 2,500+ residents.

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JavaNot on this list

Java has fewer than 2,500 residents, the floor for SD lists.

#1
Winner1.4 yrs · $106,100 median home
#2
Sisseton1.5 yrs · $109,200 median home
#3
Mobridge1.8 yrs · $136,800 median home

All 37 towns

Years of income, lowest first.

#TownYears of incomeHome valueMedian income
1 Winner2,905 people 1.4 yrs $106,100$47,381
2 Sisseton2,670 people 1.5 yrs $109,200$48,875
3 Mobridge2,932 people 1.8 yrs $136,800$65,357
4 Milbank3,525 people 2.1 yrs $155,000$56,011
5 Huron14,385 people 2.1 yrs $159,000$61,452
6 Lead3,006 people 2.5 yrs $189,400$73,047
7 Canton3,033 people 2.5 yrs $191,400$60,850
8 Mitchell15,649 people 2.6 yrs $192,200$58,620
9 Madison6,094 people 2.6 yrs $193,100$65,593
10 Hot Springs3,548 people 2.7 yrs $202,600$66,338
11 Aberdeen28,189 people 2.9 yrs $217,300$64,405
12 Vermillion11,878 people 2.9 yrs $219,000$50,456
13 Belle Fourche5,804 people 3.0 yrs $222,500$65,071
14 Yankton15,540 people 3.0 yrs $222,700$67,804
15 Chamberlain2,588 people 3.0 yrs $224,300$76,761
16 Watertown23,044 people 3.1 yrs $229,400$69,600
17 Pierre13,948 people 3.1 yrs $230,700$77,672
18 Elk Point2,537 people 3.3 yrs $248,500$90,473
19 Rapid Valley6,975 people 3.4 yrs $255,500$83,208
20 Hartford3,478 people 3.4 yrs $257,700$99,893
21 Brookings23,948 people 3.5 yrs $265,500$63,493
22 North Sioux City3,045 people 3.6 yrs $269,800$71,908
23 Sturgis7,086 people 3.6 yrs $271,200$54,404
24 Blackhawk2,934 people 3.6 yrs $273,300$71,993
25 Sioux Falls201,469 people 3.9 yrs $292,400$75,970
26 Rapid City77,946 people 4.0 yrs $299,400$70,870
27 Dell Rapids3,905 people 4.0 yrs $301,700$100,170
28 Box Elder12,902 people 4.0 yrs $302,100$73,008
29 Harrisburg8,519 people 4.2 yrs $312,200$108,724
30 Brandon10,996 people 4.5 yrs $336,600$110,806
31 Spearfish12,930 people 4.6 yrs $346,200$65,688
32 Tea6,786 people 4.7 yrs $351,100$120,139
33 Summerset3,022 people 4.9 yrs $368,300$119,271
34 Colonial Pine Hills2,609 people 5.4 yrs $406,500$98,696
35 Split RockMinnehaha County · 3,143 people 6.7 yrs $499,600$147,717
36 Big SiouxUnion County · 4,917 people 6.7 yrs $502,200$128,005
37 Dakota Dunes3,936 people 7.5 yrs $565,600$136,125
How it works

How this ranking works

The SD list, with the map →

We divide each town’s median home value by the SD median household income ($75,081). The result is how many years of a typical paycheck it takes to buy a typical home there. Lower is more affordable. Across South Dakota as a whole it’s 3.4 years.

Why not each town’s own income? That would rank wealthy towns with half-million-dollar homes as “affordable” only because their residents earn so much. One shared income answers the question people actually ask: where could a typical family afford to live?

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

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