Housing decision brief
Edmunds County, SD Housing Market
Edmunds County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a manageable 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.
37th lowest home value out of 66 South Dakota counties with data | 52nd lowest rent out of 66
Median home value
$163,600
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$881/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$853/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.1x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
15.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$28/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
15.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $28/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 93.1 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
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
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- 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 Edmunds 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. | $163,600 | $156,450 | $281,900 | 5% pressure5% above South Dakota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $881 | $730 | $1,163 | 21% pressure21% above South Dakota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $853 | $781 | $1,672 | 9% pressure9% above South Dakota county median |
Median household income | $77,266 | $70,046 | $74,755 | 10% favorable10% above South Dakota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.87% | 1.08% | 1.02% | 20% favorable20% below South Dakota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 15.00% | 23.00% | N/A | 35% favorable15.00% 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
+$42,026
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$40,709
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Edmunds County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $881/month representing approximately 13.7% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 15.0%.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Edmunds County is $881/month, while owner costs run $853/month. Owning saves approximately $28/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $35,240/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $36,557/year. With a median household income of $77,266, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 15.0% of renter households in Edmunds County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within South Dakota, Edmunds County is less affordable than Butte County by roughly 6% ($881/mo vs $940/mo).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanley County, SD | $169,900 | $896/mo | Same-state comparison near $169,900 home value and $896/mo rent. |
| Hutchinson County, SD | $160,500 | $714/mo | Same-state comparison near $160,500 home value and $714/mo rent. |
| Hyde County, SD | $134,500 | $921/mo | Same-state comparison near $134,500 home value and $921/mo rent. |
| Douglas County, SD | $125,000 | $864/mo | Same-state comparison near $125,000 home value and $864/mo rent. |
| Kingsbury County, SD | $159,600 | $725/mo | Same-state comparison near $159,600 home value and $725/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Edmunds County
Is Edmunds County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Edmunds County?
How much income do you need for housing in Edmunds County?
What should I double-check before moving to Edmunds County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.