Housing decision brief
Gregory County, SD Housing Market
Gregory County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, 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.
21st lowest home value out of 66 South Dakota counties with data | 13th lowest rent out of 66
Median home value
$129,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$614/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$583/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
24.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$31/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
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
Lower rent
$614/mo is 16% below South Dakota county median
Rent burden below pressure line
24.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $31/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 83.9 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$52,432 median income is 25% below South Dakota county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.10% effective property-tax rate is 2% above South Dakota county median
Health context
Health score is 37.8 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
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
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Gregory 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. | $614 | $730 | $1,163 | 16% favorable16% below South Dakota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $583 | $781 | $1,672 | 25% favorable25% below South Dakota county median |
Median household income | $52,432 | $70,046 | $74,755 | 25% pressure25% below South Dakota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.10% | 1.08% | 1.02% | Near state median2% above South Dakota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 24.00% | 23.00% | N/A | Near state median24.00% 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
+$27,872
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$27,446
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Gregory County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $614/month , about 14.1% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Gregory County pay $614/month on average, compared to $583/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 5%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $24,560/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $24,986/year. With a median household income of $52,432, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 24.0% of renter households in Gregory County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Gregory County sits 9% more expensive than Miner County ($563/month) in terms of median gross rent.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bon Homme County, SD | $120,300 | $620/mo | Same-state comparison near $120,300 home value and $620/mo rent. |
| Bennett County, SD | $138,600 | $616/mo | Same-state comparison near $138,600 home value and $616/mo rent. |
| Faulk County, SD | $124,100 | $692/mo | Same-state comparison near $124,100 home value and $692/mo rent. |
| Roberts County, SD | $139,100 | $656/mo | Same-state comparison near $139,100 home value and $656/mo rent. |
| Lyman County, SD | $156,500 | $603/mo | Same-state comparison near $156,500 home value and $603/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Gregory County
Is Gregory County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Gregory County?
How much income do you need for housing in Gregory County?
What should I double-check before moving to Gregory County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.