Cost of Living in South Dakota
What it costs to live in South Dakota, how much tax you'll pay, and what common jobs keep after rent and everyday costs.
- Population
- 924,669
- Median household income
- $76,881
- State income tax
- None
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 88.6
What a typical paycheck keeps in South Dakota
The typical South Dakota worker earns $47,080 (BLS). After taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, $12,014 is left. Pick a city for local rents and pay.
- Typical salary
- $47,080
- Federal income tax
- −$3,470
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,602
- State income tax
- $0
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$11,496
- Everyday costs
- −$16,498
a year, or $1,001 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS statewide median. Rent: HUD FY2027, population-weighted across South Dakota.
Cost of living in South Dakota
Prices across South Dakota run 11% below the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Housing32% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)5% below the US average
- Utilities20% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)8% below the US average
- All items11% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $958 | $11,496 |
| Food | $471 | $5,652 |
| Transportation | $373 | $4,476 |
| Healthcare | $324 | $3,888 |
| Utilities | $207 | $2,484 |
| Total before taxes | $2,333 | $27,996 |
Rent is the statewide average of county fair market rents, weighted by population. City rents differ.
South Dakota taxes
State income tax, single filer (2026)
South Dakota doesn’t tax wages.
No individual income tax.
Taxes on the median household income
$76,881 of wages, one single filer (Census 2024 median).
| Federal income tax | −$8,084 |
| Payroll taxes | −$5,881 |
| State income tax | $0 |
| Effective tax rate | 18.2% |
Cities in South Dakota
What a typical worker keeps after taxes, rent and everyday costs in each South Dakota city we cover.
What common jobs keep in South Dakota
The 15 jobs that keep the most: statewide median pay, and what's left after taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Dentist | $158,140 | $91,360 |
| Pharmacist | $146,790 | $83,603 |
| Physician assistant | $133,200 | $74,314 |
| Nurse practitioner | $128,840 | $71,334 |
| Lawyer | $102,040 | $52,621 |
| Financial analyst | $99,150 | $50,588 |
| Civil engineer | $98,700 | $50,271 |
| Lineman | $97,310 | $49,294 |
| Software engineer | $96,310 | $48,590 |
| Data scientist | $96,150 | $48,478 |
| Physical therapist | $92,660 | $46,023 |
| Dental hygienist | $92,210 | $45,706 |
| Veterinarian | $88,650 | $43,201 |
| Mechanical engineer | $88,380 | $43,011 |
| Occupational therapist | $85,050 | $40,669 |
Salary pages in South Dakota, A–Z
Pay range, what’s kept and the best cities for each job.
- Accountant
- Auto mechanic
- Carpenter
- Civil engineer
- Data scientist
- Dental assistant
- Dental hygienist
- Dentist
- Diesel mechanic
- Electrician
- Financial analyst
- Firefighter
- HVAC technician
- Lawyer
- Licensed practical nurse
- Lineman
- Mechanical engineer
- Medical assistant
- Nurse practitioner
- Nursing assistant
- Occupational therapist
- Paralegal
- Paramedic
- Pharmacist
- Pharmacy technician
- Physical therapist
- Physician assistant
- Plumber
- Police officer
- Project manager
- Radiologic technologist
- Registered nurse
- Respiratory therapist
- Social worker
- Software engineer
- Speech-language pathologist
- Teacher
- Truck driver
- Veterinarian
- Welder
Top-paying jobs in South Dakota
Median pay, jobs with at least 1,000 workers (BLS OEWS). Linked jobs have a salary page.
| Job | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Financial Managers | $159,700 |
| Pharmacists | $146,790 |
| General and Operations Managers | $137,400 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $128,840 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $122,050 |
| Construction Managers | $118,380 |
| Lawyers | $102,040 |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $99,790 |
| Civil Engineers | $98,700 |
| Software Developers | $96,310 |
| Physical Therapists | $92,660 |
| Management Analysts | $83,620 |
| Project Management Specialists | $82,250 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $80,810 |
| Loan Officers | $79,920 |
Living in South Dakota
South Dakota against the US (Census Bureau, ACS 2024).
| Measure | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $289,600 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $999 | $1,487 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 10.4% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 34.2% | 36.9% |
| Average commute, one way | 18.5 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 8% | 13.3% |
Nearby states
Compare South Dakota with another state or city: what a job keeps in each, side by side.
Questions people ask
What is the cost of living in South Dakota?
Prices in South Dakota are 11% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). The statewide fair market rent for a 1-bedroom is $958 a month (HUD, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person come to about $1,375 a month.
Does South Dakota have a state income tax?
No. South Dakota doesn't tax wages. Workers still pay federal income tax and payroll taxes.
How much do you need to earn to live in South Dakota?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom at the statewide fair market rent needs about $32,200 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs. The typical worker in South Dakota earns $47,080 and keeps $12,014 after those costs.
Where in South Dakota does a paycheck go furthest?
Of the South Dakota cities we cover, a typical worker keeps the most in Sioux Falls ($11,581 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs) and the least in Rapid City ($10,397).
What jobs pay the most in South Dakota?
Among jobs with at least 1,000 workers, the highest median pay in South Dakota goes to Financial Managers ($159,700); Pharmacists ($146,790); General and Operations Managers ($137,400) (BLS OEWS).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
- HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by state, 2024
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate