Watertown, SD Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Watertown, SD Summary
Cost of living in Watertown research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Watertown is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in South Dakota, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Watertown is 92, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Watertown is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Watertown ranks as the #8 cheapest in South Dakota out of 19.
Watertown ranks as the #1,501 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Watertown is $311,477.
The median income in Watertown is $62,721.
Table Of Contents
Watertown's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Watertown, SD?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Watertown has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to South Dakota, Watertown has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than South Dakota's index of 88.
The standard of living in Watertown ranks as #8 most affordable out of the 19 places we measured in South Dakota. By definition, that implies Watertown ranks as the #11 most expensive place in the Mount Rushmore State.
For more reading on life in Watertown, check out:
In South Dakota
In America
Watertown Cost Of Living Vs. South Dakota
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Watertown. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Watertown is 89.
The Groceries index in Watertown is 99.
The Health index in Watertown is 104.
The Housing index in Watertown is 92.
The Transportation index in Watertown is 91.
The Utilities index in Watertown is 84.
| Living Expense | Watertown | South Dakota | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 92 | 88 | 100 | |
| Services | 89 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 98 | 100 | |
| Health | 104 | 100 | 100 | |
| Housing | 92 | 78 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 91 | 95 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 84 | 89 | 100 | |
Watertown, SD Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in South Dakota, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Watertown is $311,477.
The Median Rent in Watertown is $904.
The Median Income in Watertown is $62,721.
The Home Value To Income in Watertown is 5.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Watertown is 0.17x.
| Statistic | Watertown | South Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $311,477 | $315,406 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $904 | $912 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $62,721 | $72,421 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.0x | 4.4x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.17x | 0.15x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Watertown, SD Costs By Category
Detailed Watertown Services Costs Vs. South Dakota
| Item | Watertown | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.29 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $9.36 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $16.4 | $18 |
| Haircut | $24.32 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $35.22 | $45.56 |
Detailed Watertown Groceries Costs Vs. South Dakota
| Item | Watertown | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.89 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.41 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.75 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.63 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.64 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.33 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.8 | $3.7 |
Detailed Watertown Health Costs Vs. South Dakota
| Item | Watertown | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $135.1 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $177.33 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $108.21 | $113.29 |
Detailed Watertown Transportation Costs Vs. South Dakota
| Item | Watertown | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.28 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $49.42 | $59.92 |
Detailed Watertown Utilities Costs Vs. South Dakota
| Item | Watertown | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $141.67 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $194.04 | $192.25 |
Watertown SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Watertown
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Watertown. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Brookings, SD has a cost of living index of 94, 1.0x Watertown.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Watertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brookings, SD | 23,710 | 94 | 1.0x |
