Housing decision brief
Lawrence County, SD Housing Market
Lawrence 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.
64th lowest home value out of 66 South Dakota counties with data | 57th lowest rent out of 66
Median home value
$310,800
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$923/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$913/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
26.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$10/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
26.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $10/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$66,766 median income is 5% below South Dakota county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is D. 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
- Households weighing ownership against renting
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Lawrence 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. | $310,800 | $156,450 | $281,900 | 99% pressure99% above South Dakota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $923 | $730 | $1,163 | 26% pressure26% above South Dakota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $913 | $781 | $1,672 | 17% pressure17% above South Dakota county median |
Median household income | $66,766 | $70,046 | $74,755 | 5% pressure5% below South Dakota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.86% | 1.08% | 1.02% | 20% favorable20% below South Dakota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 26.00% | 23.00% | N/A | 13% pressure26.00% 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
+$29,846
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$27,637
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Lawrence County is affordable. The median rent is $923/month against a median household income of $66,766, putting rent at 16.6% of income.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Lawrence County is $923/month, while owner costs run $913/month. Owning saves approximately $10/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $36,920/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $39,129/year. With a median household income of $66,766, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 26.0% of renter households in Lawrence County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Lawrence County sits 6% more expensive than Potter County ($869/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brookings County, SD | $246,300 | $874/mo | Same-state comparison near $246,300 home value and $874/mo rent. |
| Minnehaha County, SD | $266,600 | $954/mo | Same-state comparison near $266,600 home value and $954/mo rent. |
| Pennington County, SD | $270,400 | $1,066/mo | Same-state comparison near $270,400 home value and $1,066/mo rent. |
| Codington County, SD | $218,000 | $901/mo | Same-state comparison near $218,000 home value and $901/mo rent. |
| Sanpete County, UT | $300,400 | $911/mo | Out-of-state peer near $300,400 home value and $911/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Lawrence County
Is Lawrence County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Lawrence County?
How much income do you need for housing in Lawrence County?
What should I double-check before moving to Lawrence County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.