Housing decision brief
Walworth County, SD Housing Market
Walworth County screens as a below-state purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
22nd lowest home value out of 66 South Dakota counties with data | 61st lowest rent out of 66
Median home value
$130,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$962/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$811/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.1x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
26.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$151/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $29,493 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$130,000 median home value is 17% below South Dakota county median
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 $151/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$62,722 median income is 10% below South Dakota county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.44% effective property-tax rate is 33% above South Dakota county median
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Wide home-value margin
The ACS margin of error on home value is $29,493, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
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 Walworth 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. | $130,000 | $156,450 | $281,900 | 17% favorable17% below South Dakota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $962 | $730 | $1,163 | 32% pressure32% above South Dakota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $811 | $781 | $1,672 | Near state median4% above South Dakota county median |
Median household income | $62,722 | $70,046 | $74,755 | 10% pressure10% below South Dakota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.44% | 1.08% | 1.02% | 33% pressure33% above 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
+$24,242
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$27,965
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Walworth County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $962/month , about 18.4% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Walworth County pay $962/month on average, compared to $811/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 16%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $38,480/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $34,757/year. With a median household income of $62,722, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 26.0% of renter households in Walworth County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Walworth County sits 7% more expensive than Codington County ($901/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyde County, SD | $134,500 | $921/mo | Same-state comparison near $134,500 home value and $921/mo rent. |
| Tripp County, SD | $137,100 | $809/mo | Same-state comparison near $137,100 home value and $809/mo rent. |
| Potter County, SD | $121,300 | $869/mo | Same-state comparison near $121,300 home value and $869/mo rent. |
| Douglas County, SD | $125,000 | $864/mo | Same-state comparison near $125,000 home value and $864/mo rent. |
| Clark County, SD | $141,900 | $709/mo | Same-state comparison near $141,900 home value and $709/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $29,493 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Walworth County
Is Walworth County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Walworth County?
How much income do you need for housing in Walworth County?
What should I double-check before moving to Walworth County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.