Renting
Data from November 2026
Renting in South Dakota
The typical rent in South Dakota is $946 a month (Average 2020–2024). HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms is about $1,187 (Fiscal year 2027, population-weighted average): paying it without spending more than 30% of income takes $22.83 an hour full time. Here are the figures by size and by county, how many households spend too much, and where to ask for help.
Key numbers in South Dakota
- Typical rent
- $946
- per month, Average 2020–2024
- 33% less than the U.S.
- Fair market rent, 2 BR
- $1,187
- HUD, Fiscal year 2027, weighted average
- From $1,014 to $1,430 depending on the county.
- Wage needed
- $22.83
- per hour, 2 bedrooms
- About $47,480 a year to stay under 30% of income.
- Burdened households
- 40%
- spend 30% or more on rent
- Nationwide, 51%.
Fair market rent
What HUD sets by size
HUD publishes a fair market rent every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they cover. Here it runs from the cheapest to the most expensive area of South Dakota, with the hourly wage it takes to pay it without going past 30% of income (40 hours a week).
Includes basic utilities. It is neither the lowest nor the highest rent on the market: it is a reference point.
-
Studio
Wage: $13.58–$19.15 an hour
Lowest: $706 Highest: $996
-
1 bedroom
Wage: $14.90–$21.02 an hour
Lowest: $775 Highest: $1,093
-
2 bedrooms
Wage: $19.50–$27.50 an hour
Lowest: $1,014 Highest: $1,430
-
3 bedrooms
Wage: $23.23–$36.13 an hour
Lowest: $1,208 Highest: $1,879
-
4 bedrooms
Wage: $25.63–$45.96 an hour
Lowest: $1,333 Highest: $2,390
Each bar runs from the cheapest area to the most expensive; all share one scale that starts at zero. Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)
Rent burden
How many households spend too much
HUD counts rent as a burden when it reaches 30% of income or more. In South Dakota, 40% of renter households are in that position; nationwide, 51% (Average 2020–2024, Census).
Paying too much rent leaves little for food, transportation and savings. If that is you, the agencies below can guide you for free.
40%
of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent.
114,923 renter households in South Dakota
- Spend half or more of their income 18%
- Spend 30% or more, but less than half 22%
- Spend less than 30% 60%
By place
Every county, with its figure
The 2-bedroom fair market rent, the typical rent, the hourly wage it takes and the share of burdened households, in every county in South Dakota. Highest fair market rent first.
| Pennington County | $1,430 | $1,120 | $27.50 | 49% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo County | $1,409 | $540 | $27.10 | 41% |
| Bennett County | $1,395 | $617 | $26.83 | 29% |
| Meade County | $1,357 | $1,264 | $26.10 | 38% |
| Potter County | $1,305 | $1,008 | $25.10 | 43% |
| Fall River County | $1,289 | $931 | $24.79 | 41% |
| Butte County | $1,278 | $972 | $24.58 | 46% |
| Custer County | $1,242 | $1,112 | $23.88 | 20% |
| Codington County | $1,233 | $938 | $23.71 | 36% |
| Lincoln County | $1,228 | $1,260 | $23.62 | 37% |
| Minnehaha County | $1,228 | $978 | $23.62 | 41% |
| McCook County | $1,228 | $945 | $23.62 | 36% |
| Turner County | $1,228 | $742 | $23.62 | 31% |
| Lawrence County | $1,207 | $938 | $23.21 | 34% |
| Stanley County | $1,202 | $952 | $23.12 | — |
| Union County | $1,194 | $1,069 | $22.96 | 39% |
| Hughes County | $1,194 | $990 | $22.96 | 36% |
| Grant County | $1,179 | $763 | $22.67 | — |
| Walworth County | $1,167 | $926 | $22.44 | 41% |
| Lake County | $1,154 | $947 | $22.19 | 47% |
| Beadle County | $1,090 | $879 | $20.96 | 40% |
| Edmunds County | $1,087 | $992 | $20.90 | 30% |
| Davison County | $1,087 | $847 | $20.90 | 39% |
| Lyman County | $1,086 | $651 | $20.88 | 24% |
| Brookings County | $1,066 | $901 | $20.50 | 38% |
| Douglas County | $1,064 | $877 | $20.46 | — |
| Sully County | $1,064 | $842 | $20.46 | — |
| Mellette County | $1,064 | $708 | $20.46 | 26% |
| Jerauld County | $1,064 | $632 | $20.46 | — |
| Haakon County | $1,064 | $584 | $20.46 | — |
| Harding County | $1,064 | $521 | $20.46 | — |
| Faulk County | $1,057 | $771 | $20.33 | — |
| Kingsbury County | $1,036 | $685 | $19.92 | 48% |
| Brule County | $1,030 | $835 | $19.81 | 37% |
| Perkins County | $1,030 | $738 | $19.81 | 31% |
| Clay County | $1,022 | $770 | $19.65 | 49% |
| Yankton County | $1,016 | $781 | $19.54 | 34% |
| Hyde County | $1,014 | $836 | $19.50 | — |
| Tripp County | $1,014 | $820 | $19.50 | 57% |
| Hamlin County | $1,014 | $800 | $19.50 | 21% |
| Clark County | $1,014 | $782 | $19.50 | 26% |
| Hanson County | $1,014 | $782 | $19.50 | — |
| Brown County | $1,014 | $777 | $19.50 | 46% |
| Campbell County | $1,014 | $760 | $19.50 | 43% |
| Moody County | $1,014 | $758 | $19.50 | 42% |
| Marshall County | $1,014 | $752 | $19.50 | 25% |
| Aurora County | $1,014 | $747 | $19.50 | 34% |
| Spink County | $1,014 | $734 | $19.50 | 25% |
| Ziebach County | $1,014 | $734 | $19.50 | 46% |
| Hutchinson County | $1,014 | $727 | $19.50 | 29% |
| Sanborn County | $1,014 | $725 | $19.50 | 46% |
| Charles Mix County | $1,014 | $704 | $19.50 | 33% |
| Dewey County | $1,014 | $692 | $19.50 | 31% |
| Day County | $1,014 | $660 | $19.50 | 30% |
| Roberts County | $1,014 | $658 | $19.50 | 30% |
| Bon Homme County | $1,014 | $646 | $19.50 | 38% |
| Miner County | $1,014 | $644 | $19.50 | — |
| Deuel County | $1,014 | $642 | $19.50 | 23% |
| Gregory County | $1,014 | $614 | $19.50 | 30% |
| McPherson County | $1,014 | $594 | $19.50 | 24% |
| Hand County | $1,014 | $587 | $19.50 | 22% |
| Oglala Lakota County | $1,014 | $584 | $19.50 | 26% |
| Todd County | $1,014 | $532 | $19.50 | 28% |
| Corson County | $1,014 | $496 | $19.50 | 28% |
| Jackson County | $1,014 | $442 | $19.50 | 43% |
| Jones County | $1,014 | — | $19.50 | — |
- Pennington $1,430$27.50
- Buffalo $1,409$27.10
- Bennett $1,395$26.83
- Meade $1,357$26.10
- Potter $1,305$25.10
- Fall River $1,289$24.79
- Butte $1,278$24.58
- Custer $1,242$23.88
- Codington $1,233$23.71
- Lincoln $1,228$23.62
- Minnehaha $1,228$23.62
- McCook $1,228$23.62
- Turner $1,228$23.62
- Lawrence $1,207$23.21
- Stanley $1,202$23.12
- Union $1,194$22.96
- Hughes $1,194$22.96
- Grant $1,179$22.67
- Walworth $1,167$22.44
- Lake $1,154$22.19
- Beadle $1,090$20.96
- Edmunds $1,087$20.90
- Davison $1,087$20.90
- Lyman $1,086$20.88
- Brookings $1,066$20.50
- Douglas $1,064$20.46
- Sully $1,064$20.46
- Mellette $1,064$20.46
- Jerauld $1,064$20.46
- Haakon $1,064$20.46
- Harding $1,064$20.46
- Faulk $1,057$20.33
- Kingsbury $1,036$19.92
- Brule $1,030$19.81
- Perkins $1,030$19.81
- Clay $1,022$19.65
- Yankton $1,016$19.54
- Hyde $1,014$19.50
- Tripp $1,014$19.50
- Hamlin $1,014$19.50
- Clark $1,014$19.50
- Hanson $1,014$19.50
- Brown $1,014$19.50
- Campbell $1,014$19.50
- Moody $1,014$19.50
- Marshall $1,014$19.50
- Aurora $1,014$19.50
- Spink $1,014$19.50
- Ziebach $1,014$19.50
- Hutchinson $1,014$19.50
- Sanborn $1,014$19.50
- Charles Mix $1,014$19.50
- Dewey $1,014$19.50
- Day $1,014$19.50
- Roberts $1,014$19.50
- Bon Homme $1,014$19.50
- Miner $1,014$19.50
- Deuel $1,014$19.50
- Gregory $1,014$19.50
- McPherson $1,014$19.50
- Hand $1,014$19.50
- Oglala Lakota $1,014$19.50
- Todd $1,014$19.50
- Corson $1,014$19.50
- Jackson $1,014$19.50
- Jones $1,014$19.50
Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site) Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (external site)
Your rights as a tenant in South Dakota
What South Dakota law says about deposits, notices and eviction, with the citation for each rule.
See your rights, rule by ruleA summary of state law, not legal advice. Cities may have additional rules.
- How much can they charge for a deposit?
- Up to 1 month of rent
- S.D. Codified Laws §43-32-6.1
- When must they return my deposit?
- 21 days
- S.D. Codified Laws §43-32-24
- How much notice before a rent increase?
- 30 days
- S.D. Codified Laws §43-32-13
- Repair and deduct from the rentS.D. Codified Laws §43-32-9
Help
Where to ask for help with rent in South Dakota
Free or official help. Demand usually exceeds funding, so waiting lists are common: ask at the agency for your county.
-
13 counseling agencies
HUD-approved; 8 serve in Spanish. They counsel renters for free.
See the agencies
Tool
How much rent can you afford?
Enter your income and compare with the fair market rent in your county.
Frequently asked questions
Which county in South Dakota is the most expensive to rent in?
By 2-bedroom fair market rent (Fiscal year 2027), the most expensive is Pennington County ($1,430, about $27.50 an hour) and the cheapest Hyde County ($1,014, about $19.50 an hour).
How many households in South Dakota spend too much on rent?
40% of renter households in South Dakota spend 30% or more of their income on rent, and 18% spend half or more (Average 2020–2024, Census). Nationwide, 51%.
What is fair market rent?
A figure HUD publishes every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they pay. It is not a market price or a cap on landlords. In South Dakota, for 2 bedrooms in Fiscal year 2027, it runs from $1,014 to $1,430 depending on the county.
Where do I ask for help paying rent in South Dakota?
35 public housing agencies run Section 8 vouchers and public housing in South Dakota; demand usually exceeds funding and waiting lists are common. HUD-approved counseling agencies counsel for free. Your county page shows the nearest ones.