From Mount Rushmore’s grandeur to the Missouri River’s tranquillity, many affordable places to live in South Dakota are a short road trip to affordable fun.
We’ve meticulously sifted through US Census data using Saturday Night Science to compare real estate prices, living costs, and incomes. We identified the most affordable yet desirable places to live in South Dakota.
Companies like Brookings’ Daktronics and Sioux Falls’ Furniture Mart provide the opportunity to find employment in the more affordable cities in South Dakota. Welcome to where the buffalo roam, and the cost of living stays low.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 most affordable places to live in South Dakota
Where is the cheapest place to live in South Dakota for 2026? The cheapest place to live in South Dakota is Madison.
With a statewide median income close to $60,000 annually, who wouldn’t want a piece of South Dakota’s cheapest places to live?
To see how your city compares, look at the list below of the most affordable cities and towns in South Dakota.
Check out some more reading about South Dakota and the cheapest places in the country:
The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In South Dakota For 2026
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Population: 6,094
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 86
Median Income: $65,593
Median Home Price: $263,104
Median Rent: $981
Madison took home the top spot on the list of the cheapest cities in South Dakota. The rule in South Dakota for affordable living is to stay in the southeast corner around Sioux Falls. Madison fits that bill as it’s about an hour north of Sioux Falls
With an average home price of $263,104 and an average rent of $981, you have plenty left each month to camp at Lake Herman State Park.
More on Madison: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
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Population: 14,385
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 87
Median Income: $61,452
Median Home Price: $171,871
Median Rent: $888
Huron, located in Beadle County in the southern part of South Dakota, is the second lowest cost city in the state. The city has the best home price to income in the Mount Rushmore State.
The cost of living index at 87 is below the state average, cementing Huron as a financially savvy selection. Besides, who doesn’t want the Word’s Largest Pheasant in their backyard.
More on Huron: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
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Population: 5,804
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 89
Median Income: $65,071
Median Home Price: $334,319
Median Rent: $983
On our first trip to western South Dakota, we stop at the bell of the affordable ball, Belle Fourche, the third cheapest place in the state. It’s an hour or so north of Rapid City.
The overall cost of living index of 89 includes low index values for utilities, services, and healthcare.
More on Belle Fourche: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
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Population: 15,540
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 91
Median Income: $67,804
Median Home Price: $270,786
Median Rent: $790
Yankton, across the Nebraska border and south of Sioux Falls, has the fifth lowest home prices and a solid seventh best home-price-to-income ratio. The city has the fourth lowest overall cost of living.
Yankton has been steadily getting cheaper over the years and has fun things to do, including being right next to the Lewis & Clark State Recreation Area, without breaking the budget.
More on Yankton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
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Population: 15,649
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 93
Median Income: $58,620
Median Home Price: $247,682
Median Rent: $851
Mitchell, in Davison County, ranks as the fifth cheapest city in South Dakota. According to Zillow, the average home price is the third lowest in the state at $247,682.
Unlike most cities on this list, Mitchell stretches further west and is directly off of I-90 and hour west of Sioux Falls. The town is home to the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village and Lake Mitchell.
More on Mitchell: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Crimes aren’t quietly heard of here, if so mostly drugs, c*****e, m**h, marijuana, etc. Schools are great here, teachers very respectful and discipline well. Neighborhoods usually quiet and quite peaceful.
Twin Dragon Chinese, Bike Trail, Pump Track.
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Population: 11,878
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 94
Median Income: $50,456
Median Home Price: $272,881
Median Rent: $764
You’ll feel like a millionaire living in Vermillion, the sixth cheapest city in the Mount Rushmore State. It’s easy to save money when home prices are $272,881 and the overall cost of living sits at 94, -3.3% lower than the South Dakota average.
Vermillion is 40 minutes northwest of Sioux City.
More on Vermillion: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
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Population: 7,086
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 95
Median Income: $54,404
Median Home Price: $370,733
Median Rent: $780
In Meade County, you’ll find the seventh cheapest city in the state – Sturgis. It squeaked onto the list with a manageable 95 overall cost of living index that is 4 points lower than the state average.
The home price to income ratio of 6.81 places 17th best statewide. That means you have more of your income to spend on the annual trip to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, about an hour and a half south.
More on Sturgis: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
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Population: 23,044
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 97
Median Income: $69,600
Median Home Price: $304,838
Median Rent: $942
Another western town north of Brookings, Watertown ranks as the eighth least expensive place in South Dakota. It’s hard to find much different between all these eastern South Dakota places. It’s the same story with Watertown having only a $304,838, according to Zillow.
For fun things to do around Watertown, head to the water and Stokes-Thomas Lake City Park or Pelican Lake State Recreation Area.
More on Watertown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
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Population: 28,189
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 98
Median Income: $64,405
Median Home Price: $240,644
Median Rent: $762
Aberdeen is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, South Dakota, United States, about 125 miles northeast of Pierre. The city population was 26,091 at the 2010 census, making it the third most populous city in the state after Sioux Falls and Rapid City. Aberdeen is the principal city of the Aberdeen Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Brown and Edmunds counties and has a population of 40,602 in 2010. Aberdeen is considered a college town, being the home of both Northern State University and Presentation College.
More on Aberdeen: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
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Population: 23,948
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 98
Median Income: $63,493
Median Home Price: $312,177
Median Rent: $889
Brookings, one of the cheapest cities in South Dakota, is also one of the biggest. Located in western South Dakota, the town didn’t have to cook the books to achieve an overall cost of living of -7.7% lower than the South Dakota average.
The average rent in Brookings comes in at $889, the seventh lowest in the state.
More on Brookings: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Cheapest places to live in South Dakota FAQs
The county in South Dakota with the lowest cost of living is Aurora County. The average living wage in Aurora County is $80,852 according to MIT data. Aurora County has the lowest cost of living because it has relatively less expensive childcare and housing costs compared to South Dakota as a whole. Childcare costs $13,899 a year in Aurora County for two children compared to the South Dakota average of $15,014. Housing costs, defined as a blend of the average rent and average mortgage payment, are $8,628 per year in Aurora County compared to $9,639 on average in South Dakota.
The cost of living in South Dakota is 7.2% lower than the US average. According to MIT, the required living wage for a family of four with two working parents in South Dakota is $83,274 vs the national average for a family of four with two working parents of $89,744. The median income of a South Dakota household is $59,896.
The cheapest housing market in South Dakota is Mission. The average home value in Mission is $45,000, the lowest in the state. The average home value in South Dakota is $174,600, almost 3.9 times higher than Mission.
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The county in South Dakota with the lowest cost of living is Aurora County. The average living wage in Aurora County is $80,852 according to MIT data. Aurora County has the lowest cost of living because it has relatively less expensive childcare and housing costs compared to South Dakota as a whole. Childcare costs $13,899 a year in Aurora County for two children compared to the South Dakota average of $15,014. Housing costs, defined as a blend of the average rent and average mortgage payment, are $8,628 per year in Aurora County compared to $9,639 on average in South Dakota.
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Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Mount Rushmore State for 2026
Determining affordability for places in South Dakota boils down to how much it costs to live here.
You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.
With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 for South Dakota using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Services
- Groceries
- Healthcare
- Utilities
These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.
We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in South Dakota to figure out which is the least expensive.
The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 18 places in South Dakota that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.
The place in South Dakota with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Madison.
We updated this article for 2026. This report reflects our eleventh time ranking the cheapest places to live in South Dakota.
South Dakota Affordabilility Summary
This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in South Dakota for 2026, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in South Dakota.
The cheapest cities in South Dakota are Madison, Huron, Belle Fourche, Yankton, Mitchell, Vermillion, Sturgis, Watertown, Aberdeen, and Brookings.
Here’s a look at the most expensive cities in South Dakota according to the data:
- Spearfish
- Tea
- Brandon
For more South Dakota reading, check out:
- Worst Places To Live In South Dakota
- Safest Places In South Dakota
- Best Places To Raise A Family In South Dakota
Cheapest Places To Live In South Dakota
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Home Prices | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madison | 6,094 | 86 | $65,593 | $263,104 | $981 |
| 2 | Huron | 14,385 | 87 | $61,452 | $171,871 | $888 |
| 3 | Belle Fourche | 5,804 | 89 | $65,071 | $334,319 | $983 |
| 4 | Yankton | 15,540 | 91 | $67,804 | $270,786 | $790 |
| 5 | Mitchell | 15,649 | 93 | $58,620 | $247,682 | $851 |
| 6 | Vermillion | 11,878 | 94 | $50,456 | $272,881 | $764 |
| 7 | Sturgis | 7,086 | 95 | $54,404 | $370,733 | $780 |
| 8 | Watertown | 23,044 | 97 | $69,600 | $304,838 | $942 |
| 9 | Aberdeen | 28,189 | 98 | $64,405 | $240,644 | $762 |
| 10 | Brookings | 23,948 | 98 | $63,493 | $312,177 | $889 |
| 11 | Pierre | 13,948 | 98 | $77,672 | $293,979 | $983 |
| 12 | Sioux Falls | 201,469 | 99 | $75,970 | $329,722 | $1,035 |
| 13 | Rapid City | 77,946 | 99 | $70,870 | $361,495 | $1,109 |
| 14 | Box Elder | 12,902 | 100 | $73,008 | $367,456 | $1,491 |
| 15 | Harrisburg | 8,519 | 100 | $108,724 | $359,382 | $1,362 |
| 16 | Brandon | 10,996 | 102 | $110,806 | $387,889 | $976 |
| 17 | Tea | 6,786 | 102 | $120,139 | $381,055 | $1,220 |
| 18 | Spearfish | 12,930 | 104 | $65,688 | $456,936 | $963 |