South Dakota · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Douglas County, SD

Prices around Douglas County, SD run 11.4% below the U.S. average (BEA, South Dakota). The typical household there earns $86,442 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $948 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $37,920 a year.

Douglas County, SD at a glance

Median household income

$86,442$7,204 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$948HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)88.6-11.4% · BEA, South Dakota
Electricity15.4¢per kWh · EIA Residential SD
Population2,828Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Douglas 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$948Monthly market rent
Share of gross income13.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$37,920To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,161At 30% of $86,442
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Douglas County, SD, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$654$7,848$26,1609.1%
1-Bedroom Apartment$722$8,664$28,88010%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$948$11,376$37,92013.2%
3-Bedroom Home$1,206$14,472$48,24016.7%
4-Bedroom Home$1,468$17,616$58,72020.4%

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

What a typical income covers in Douglas County, SD

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $86,442 a year ($7,204 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,602/moRent ($948 2-BR), utilities (~$138/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,161/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,441/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $86,442 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.

$86,442
$30,000$175,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$86,442
Net 81%
Fed 12%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$69,642After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,804Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,679Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$10,187 / yr
South Dakota state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,613 / yr

Living in Douglas County, SD: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Douglas County, SD is $86,442 per year (approximately $7,204 per month).

What is the average rent in Douglas County, SD?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $654 for a studio, $722 for one bedroom, $948 for two, $1,206 for three and $1,468 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 Douglas County, SD expensive to live in?

Prices there run 11.4% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for South Dakota is 88.6, 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 Douglas County, SD?

To keep a $948 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $37,920 a year, or $3,160 a month. That is 44% of what the typical household in Douglas County, SD earns.

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

On the local median income of $86,442 ($7,204 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,602 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,161 for everything else and $1,441 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $948 takes 26% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Douglas 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.