Housing decision brief
McCook County, SD Housing Market
McCook 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.
54th lowest home value out of 66 South Dakota counties with data | 41st lowest rent out of 66
Median home value
$217,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$750/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$963/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
21.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$213/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
21.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
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
- 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 McCook 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. | $217,300 | $156,450 | $281,900 | 39% pressure39% above South Dakota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $750 | $730 | $1,163 | Near state median3% above South Dakota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $963 | $781 | $1,672 | 23% pressure23% above South Dakota county median |
Median household income | $80,847 | $70,046 | $74,755 | 15% favorable15% above South Dakota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.98% | 1.08% | 1.02% | 9% favorable9% below South Dakota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 21.00% | 23.00% | N/A | 9% favorable21.00% 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
+$50,847
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$39,576
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
McCook County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $750/month representing approximately 11.1% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 21.0%.
Rent vs own
At $750/month rent versus $963/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $213/month cheaper , a 22% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $30,000/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $41,271/year. With a median household income of $80,847, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 21.0% of renter households in McCook County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
McCook County sits 8% more expensive than Faulk County ($692/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamlin County, SD | $207,700 | $769/mo | Same-state comparison near $207,700 home value and $769/mo rent. |
| Moody County, SD | $206,300 | $723/mo | Same-state comparison near $206,300 home value and $723/mo rent. |
| Turner County, SD | $199,000 | $745/mo | Same-state comparison near $199,000 home value and $745/mo rent. |
| Yankton County, SD | $208,200 | $777/mo | Same-state comparison near $208,200 home value and $777/mo rent. |
| Hanson County, SD | $192,400 | $733/mo | Same-state comparison near $192,400 home value and $733/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for McCook County
Is McCook County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in McCook County?
How much income do you need for housing in McCook County?
What should I double-check before moving to McCook County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.