South Dakota · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Hand County, SD

Prices around Hand County, SD run 11.4% below the U.S. average (BEA, South Dakota). The typical household there earns $74,635 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $929 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $37,160 a year.

Hand County, SD at a glance

Median household income

$74,635$6,220 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$929HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)88.6-11.4% · BEA, South Dakota
Electricity15.4¢per kWh · EIA Residential SD
Population3,140Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Hand 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$929Monthly market rent
Share of gross income14.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$37,160To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,866At 30% of $74,635
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Hand County, SD, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$641$7,692$25,64010.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$788$9,456$31,52012.7%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$929$11,148$37,16014.9%
3-Bedroom Home$1,292$15,504$51,68020.8%
4-Bedroom Home$1,438$17,256$57,52023.1%

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

What a typical income covers in Hand County, SD

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $74,635 a year ($6,220 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,110/moRent ($929 2-BR), utilities (~$138/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,866/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,244/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $74,635 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.

$74,635
$25,000$150,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$74,635
Net 82%
Fed 10%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$61,336After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,111Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,359Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$7,590 / yr
South Dakota state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,710 / yr

Living in Hand County, SD: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Hand County, SD is $74,635 per year (approximately $6,220 per month).

What is the average rent in Hand County, SD?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $641 for a studio, $788 for one bedroom, $929 for two, $1,292 for three and $1,438 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 Hand 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 Hand County, SD?

To keep a $929 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $37,160 a year, or $3,097 a month. That is 50% of what the typical household in Hand County, SD earns.

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

On the local median income of $74,635 ($6,220 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,110 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,866 for everything else and $1,244 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $929 takes 30% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Hand 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.