Housing decision brief
Roberts County, SD Housing Market
Roberts County screens as a below-state 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.
24th lowest home value out of 66 South Dakota counties with data | 18th lowest rent out of 66
Median home value
$154,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$658/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$716/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
21.3%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$58/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$154,500 median home value is 7% below South Dakota county median
Lower rent
$658/mo is 14% below South Dakota county median
Rent burden below pressure line
21.30% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$65,130 median income is 10% below South Dakota county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 26.5 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
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
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 Roberts 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. | $154,500 | $166,500 | $281,900 | 7% favorable7% below South Dakota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $658 | $762 | $1,163 | 14% favorable14% below South Dakota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $716 | $799 | $1,672 | 10% favorable10% below South Dakota county median |
Median household income | $65,130 | $72,653 | $74,755 | 10% pressure10% below South Dakota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.97% | 1.00% | 1.02% | Near state median3% below South Dakota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 21.30% | 23.00% | N/A | 7% favorable21.30% 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
+$38,810
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$34,444
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Roberts County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $656/month representing approximately 12.4% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 22.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Roberts County pay $656/month on average, compared to $693/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 $26,240/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $29,700/year. With a median household income of $63,691, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 22.0% of renter households in Roberts County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within South Dakota, Roberts County is less affordable than Clark County by roughly 7% ($656/mo vs $709/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyman County, SD | $165,800 | $651/mo | Same-state comparison near $165,800 home value and $651/mo rent. |
| Day County, SD | $173,600 | $660/mo | Same-state comparison near $173,600 home value and $660/mo rent. |
| Bon Homme County, SD | $134,100 | $646/mo | Same-state comparison near $134,100 home value and $646/mo rent. |
| Charles Mix County, SD | $170,600 | $704/mo | Same-state comparison near $170,600 home value and $704/mo rent. |
| Haakon County, SD | $164,200 | $584/mo | Same-state comparison near $164,200 home value and $584/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Roberts County
Is Roberts County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Roberts County?
How much income do you need for housing in Roberts County?
What should I double-check before moving to Roberts County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.