South Dakota · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Custer County, SD

Prices around Custer County, SD run 10.8% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $84,112 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,173 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $46,920 a year.

Custer County, SD at a glance

Median household income

$84,112$7,009 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,173HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)89.2-10.8% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.4¢per kWh · EIA Residential SD
Population8,892Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Custer County, SD?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,173Monthly market rent
Share of gross income16.7%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$46,920To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,103At 30% of $84,112
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Custer County, SD? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Custer County, SD HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Custer County, SD, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$809$9,708$32,36011.5%
1-Bedroom Apartment$894$10,728$35,76012.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,173$14,076$46,92016.7%
3-Bedroom Home$1,631$19,572$65,24023.3%
4-Bedroom Home$1,968$23,616$78,72028.1%

Rent in Custer County, SD, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Custer County, SD

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $84,112 a year ($7,009 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,505/moRent ($1,173 2-BR), utilities (~$138/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,103/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,402/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $84,112 leaves after South Dakota taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and South Dakota tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$84,112
$30,000$170,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$84,112
Net 81%
Fed 12%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$68,003After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,667Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,615Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$9,675 / yr
South Dakota state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,435 / yr

Living in Custer County, SD: common questions

What is the median household income in Custer County, SD?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Custer County, SD is $84,112 per year (approximately $7,009 per month).

What is the average rent in Custer County, SD?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $809 for a studio, $894 for one bedroom, $1,173 for two, $1,631 for three and $1,968 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Custer County, SD expensive to live in?

Prices there run 10.8% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 89.2, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Custer County, SD?

To keep a $1,173 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $46,920 a year, or $3,910 a month. That is 56% of what the typical household in Custer County, SD earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Custer County, SD?

On the local median income of $84,112 ($7,009 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,505 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,103 for everything else and $1,402 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,173 takes 33% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Custer County, SD?

Homes in South Dakota paid 15.4¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $138. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.