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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 1 of 1 cities in South Dakota beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. And depending on your situation, sioux Falls stands out at 95 on the index, with rent of $1,265/month — we had to double-check this one — and household income of $74,714. Assembled from 2026 Cens…
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sioux Falls | $1,265 | 15% | 95 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Sioux Falls — cost index 95, rent $1,265/mo, income $74,714
1 of 1 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The numbers are clear: 1 of 1 cities in South Dakota beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. And depending on your situation, sioux Falls stands out at 95 on the index, with rent of $1,265/month — we had to double-check this one — and household income of $74,714. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
The #1 spot goes to Sioux Falls, and the breakdown explains why. And depending on your situation, renters here pay $1,265/month — saving renters $7,560 per year compared to the national average. It lines up with what you'd expect. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 88, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 98. At a 20% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
Before celebrating, check the next metric: South Dakota — no income tax and Great Plains affordability. The 1 cities we track here average a cost index of 95 — we had to double-check this one — and median income of $74,714. It's fine. Not great, not bad. It's a clear buyer's market compared to national norms. The typical rent runs $1,265/month, which is $630 less than the national median.
Look, What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Sioux Falls | 0% | 6.1% | 1.08% | $75,297 |
206,410 residents · South Dakota
Sioux Falls earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 95 cost index sits 17 points below the national baseline, and the $74,714 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $326,187 — $141,183 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 88, while Healthcare trails at 98 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
We calculate what percentage of a $100K gross salary goes to median rent. Cities where rent consumes less of your paycheck rank higher. We also factor in estimated take-home pay after federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Sioux Falls ranks #1 in South Dakota for this analysis with a cost index of 95 and median income of $74,714.
Yes. On a $100K salary in Sioux Falls, rent would consume about 15% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Sioux Falls is $1,265/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $630 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 0% state income tax, estimated take-home on $100K in Sioux Falls is approximately $75,297/year ($6,275/month). After median rent of $1,265/month, you'd have roughly $60,117/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Sioux Falls is $326,187, which is 4.4× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
South Dakota has a 0% state income tax rate — one of the states with no income tax. Combined state and local sales tax averages 6.1%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.08%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.