Housing decision brief
Lyman County, SD Housing Market
Lyman County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, 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.
34th lowest home value out of 66 South Dakota counties with data | 12th lowest rent out of 66
Median home value
$156,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$603/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$633/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.6x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
17.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$30/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$603/mo is 17% below South Dakota county median
Rent burden below pressure line
17.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$61,169 median income is 13% below South Dakota county median
Health context
Health score is 18.4 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
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Lyman 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. | $156,500 | $156,450 | $281,900 | Near state medianAt the South Dakota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $603 | $730 | $1,163 | 17% favorable17% below South Dakota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $633 | $781 | $1,672 | 19% favorable19% below South Dakota county median |
Median household income | $61,169 | $70,046 | $74,755 | 13% pressure13% below South Dakota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.01% | 1.08% | 1.02% | 6% favorable6% below 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
+$37,049
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$34,040
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 Lyman County is affordable. The median rent is $603/month against a median household income of $61,169, putting rent at 11.8% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Lyman County pay $603/month on average, compared to $633/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 5%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $24,120/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $27,129/year. With a median household income of $61,169, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 17.0% of renter households in Lyman County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Roberts County where rent averages $656/month, Lyman County is approximately 8% less 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day County, SD | $155,100 | $623/mo | Same-state comparison near $155,100 home value and $623/mo rent. |
| Haakon County, SD | $153,200 | $688/mo | Same-state comparison near $153,200 home value and $688/mo rent. |
| Roberts County, SD | $139,100 | $656/mo | Same-state comparison near $139,100 home value and $656/mo rent. |
| Hand County, SD | $152,100 | $553/mo | Same-state comparison near $152,100 home value and $553/mo rent. |
| Clark County, SD | $141,900 | $709/mo | Same-state comparison near $141,900 home value and $709/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Lyman County
Is Lyman County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Lyman County?
How much income do you need for housing in Lyman County?
What should I double-check before moving to Lyman County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.