Before you decide to relocate to South Dakota, it’s important to research the exact cost of living around the state. And that’s what we’re going to help you do.
These are the places in South Dakota that cost a pretty penny — the most expensive cities in the state.
We used Saturday Night Science to compare the 2019-2023 American Community Survey on cost of living for the 18 places in South Dakota with more than 5,000 people.
After we saved up for months and could finally afford it, we landed on this list of the ten most expensive cities in South Dakota for 2025.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In South Dakota For 2025
What’s the most expensive place to live in South Dakota? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Spearfish is the most expensive place to live in South Dakota.
Madison (the cheapest place to live in South Dakota) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about South Dakota and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In South Dakota For 2025
/10
Population: 12,551
Cost Of Living Index: 98
Median Income: $59,731
Average Home Price: $309,200
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.2x
More on Spearfish: Data
The overall cost of living in Spearfish is 98. The median income in Spearfish comes in at $59,731 and the average home value is $309,200 for 2025.
/10
Population: 76,836
Cost Of Living Index: 95
Median Income: $65,712
Average Home Price: $270,000
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.1x
More on Rapid City: Data
The overall cost of living in Rapid City is 95. The median income in Rapid City comes in at $65,712 and the average home value is $270,000 for 2025.
/10
Population: 12,457
Cost Of Living Index: 94
Median Income: $73,698
Average Home Price: $271,800
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.7x
More on Box Elder: Data
The overall cost of living in Box Elder is 94. The median income in Box Elder comes in at $73,698 and the average home value is $271,800 for 2025.
/10
Population: 10,996
Cost Of Living Index: 94
Median Income: $104,806
Average Home Price: $317,300
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.0x
More on Brandon: Data
The overall cost of living in Brandon is 94. The median income in Brandon comes in at $104,806 and the average home value is $317,300 for 2025.
/10
Population: 28,297
Cost Of Living Index: 92
Median Income: $63,715
Average Home Price: $205,500
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.2x
More on Aberdeen: Data
The overall cost of living in Aberdeen is 92. The median income in Aberdeen comes in at $63,715 and the average home value is $205,500 for 2025.
6. Tea
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Population: 6,339
Cost Of Living Index: 92
Median Income: $104,643
Average Home Price: $305,300
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.9x
More on Tea:
The overall cost of living in Tea is 92. The median income in Tea comes in at $104,643 and the average home value is $305,300 for 2025.
7. Harrisburg
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Population: 7,790
Cost Of Living Index: 91
Median Income: $101,534
Average Home Price: $281,400
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.8x
More on Harrisburg:
The overall cost of living in Harrisburg is 91. The median income in Harrisburg comes in at $101,534 and the average home value is $281,400 for 2025.
/10
Population: 14,008
Cost Of Living Index: 90
Median Income: $74,053
Average Home Price: $219,500
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.0x
More on Pierre: Data
The overall cost of living in Pierre is 90. The median income in Pierre comes in at $74,053 and the average home value is $219,500 for 2025.
/10
Population: 197,642
Cost Of Living Index: 89
Median Income: $74,714
Average Home Price: $271,400
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.6x
More on Sioux Falls: Data
The overall cost of living in Sioux Falls is 89. The median income in Sioux Falls comes in at $74,714 and the average home value is $271,400 for 2025.
/10
Population: 23,710
Cost Of Living Index: 89
Median Income: $61,979
Average Home Price: $243,600
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.9x
More on Brookings: Data
The overall cost of living in Brookings is 89. The median income in Brookings comes in at $61,979 and the average home value is $243,600 for 2025.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Mount Rushmore State For 2025
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in South Dakota are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2019-2023 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in South Dakota to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 18 places in South Dakota that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in South Dakota according to the data is Spearfish. We updated this article for 2025. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in South Dakota.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In South Dakota For 2025
Well, there you have it, the places in South Dakota that have the highest cost of living, with Spearfish ranking as the most expensive city in the Mount Rushmore State.
The most expensive cities in South Dakota are Spearfish, Rapid City, Box Elder, Brandon, Aberdeen, Tea, Harrisburg, Pierre, Sioux Falls, and Brookings.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in South Dakota according to the data:
- Madison
- Huron
- Yankton
For more South Dakota reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In South Dakota
- Cheapest Places To Live In South Dakota
- Most Dangerous Cities In South Dakota
- Best Places To Raise A Family In South Dakota
- Safest Places In South Dakota
- Worst Places To Live In South Dakota
Most Expensive Cities In South Dakota
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spearfish | 98 | 12,551 | $59,731 | $309,200 | 5.2x |
| 2 | Rapid City | 95 | 76,836 | $65,712 | $270,000 | 4.1x |
| 3 | Box Elder | 94 | 12,457 | $73,698 | $271,800 | 3.7x |
| 4 | Brandon | 94 | 10,996 | $104,806 | $317,300 | 3.0x |
| 5 | Aberdeen | 92 | 28,297 | $63,715 | $205,500 | 3.2x |
| 6 | Tea | 92 | 6,339 | $104,643 | $305,300 | 2.9x |
| 7 | Harrisburg | 91 | 7,790 | $101,534 | $281,400 | 2.8x |
| 8 | Pierre | 90 | 14,008 | $74,053 | $219,500 | 3.0x |
| 9 | Sioux Falls | 89 | 197,642 | $74,714 | $271,400 | 3.6x |
| 10 | Brookings | 89 | 23,710 | $61,979 | $243,600 | 3.9x |
| 11 | Sturgis | 89 | 7,111 | $51,101 | $236,400 | 4.6x |
| 12 | Watertown | 88 | 22,859 | $62,721 | $212,300 | 3.4x |
| 13 | Vermillion | 87 | 11,800 | $52,815 | $210,200 | 4.0x |
| 14 | Belle Fourche | 87 | 5,741 | $59,920 | $188,800 | 3.2x |
| 15 | Mitchell | 86 | 15,637 | $56,374 | $182,000 | 3.2x |
| 16 | Yankton | 84 | 15,501 | $69,071 | $202,300 | 2.9x |
| 17 | Huron | 82 | 14,347 | $51,556 | $164,700 | 3.2x |
| 18 | Madison | 79 | 6,158 | $62,180 | $191,400 | 3.1x |