Housing decision brief
Aurora County, SD Housing Market
Aurora County screens as a below-state purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
20th lowest home value out of 66 South Dakota counties with data | 37th lowest rent out of 66
Median home value
$129,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$739/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$804/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
1.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
17.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$65/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$129,000 median home value is 18% below South Dakota county median
Rent burden below pressure line
17.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 80.4 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.08% effective property-tax rate is At the South Dakota county median
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Aurora County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $129,000 | $156,450 | $281,900 | 18% favorable18% below South Dakota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $739 | $730 | $1,163 | Near state median1% above South Dakota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $804 | $781 | $1,672 | Near state median3% above South Dakota county median |
Median household income | $74,130 | $70,046 | $74,755 | 6% favorable6% above South Dakota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.08% | 1.08% | 1.02% | Near state medianAt the South Dakota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 17.00% | 23.00% | N/A | 26% favorable17.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$44,570
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$39,673
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Aurora County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $739/month , about 12.0% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
At $739/month rent versus $804/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $65/month cheaper , a 8% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,560/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $34,457/year. With a median household income of $74,130, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 17.0% of renter households in Aurora County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Haakon County where rent averages $688/month, Aurora County is approximately 7% more expensive.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall County, SD | $147,200 | $743/mo | Same-state comparison near $147,200 home value and $743/mo rent. |
| Sanborn County, SD | $138,500 | $717/mo | Same-state comparison near $138,500 home value and $717/mo rent. |
| Spink County, SD | $117,400 | $691/mo | Same-state comparison near $117,400 home value and $691/mo rent. |
| Douglas County, SD | $125,000 | $864/mo | Same-state comparison near $125,000 home value and $864/mo rent. |
| Potter County, SD | $121,300 | $869/mo | Same-state comparison near $121,300 home value and $869/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Aurora County
Is Aurora County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Aurora County?
How much income do you need for housing in Aurora County?
What should I double-check before moving to Aurora County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.