Housing decision brief
Brown County, SD Housing Market
Brown County screens as a higher 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.
49th lowest home value out of 66 South Dakota counties with data | 37th lowest rent out of 66
Median home value
$221,100
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$777/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,162/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.1x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
27.4%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$385/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
27.40% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$70,898 median income is 2% below South Dakota county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.18% effective property-tax rate is 18% above South Dakota county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
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
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- 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 Brown 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. | $221,100 | $166,500 | $281,900 | 33% pressure33% above South Dakota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $777 | $762 | $1,163 | Near state median2% above South Dakota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,162 | $799 | $1,672 | 45% pressure45% above South Dakota county median |
Median household income | $70,898 | $72,653 | $74,755 | Near state median2% below South Dakota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.18% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 18% pressure18% above South Dakota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 27.40% | 23.00% | N/A | 19% pressure27.40% 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
+$39,818
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$21,098
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Brown County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $794/month representing approximately 13.6% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 23.0%.
Rent vs own
At $794/month rent versus $1,126/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $332/month cheaper , a 29% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $31,760/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $48,257/year. With a median household income of $70,239, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 23.0% of renter households in Brown County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Marshall County where rent averages $743/month, Brown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yankton County, SD | $225,900 | $781/mo | Same-state comparison near $225,900 home value and $781/mo rent. |
| Turner County, SD | $222,900 | $742/mo | Same-state comparison near $222,900 home value and $742/mo rent. |
| Brule County, SD | $216,800 | $835/mo | Same-state comparison near $216,800 home value and $835/mo rent. |
| Moody County, SD | $226,500 | $758/mo | Same-state comparison near $226,500 home value and $758/mo rent. |
| Sully County, SD | $205,400 | $842/mo | Same-state comparison near $205,400 home value and $842/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Brown County
Is Brown County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Brown County?
How much income do you need for housing in Brown County?
What should I double-check before moving to Brown County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.