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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, few states match South Dakota's value. 1 out of 1 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Sioux Falls at index 74, where median rent of $1,265/month saves renters $7,560/year versus the national median.
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sioux Falls | 74 | $1,265 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Sioux Falls — cost index 74, rent $1,265/mo, income $74,714
1 of 1 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Dollar for dollar, few states match South Dakota's value. 1 out of 1 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Sioux Falls at index 74, where median rent of $1,265/month saves renters $7,560/year versus the national median.
What does daily life actually cost in Sioux Falls? Start with the 20% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 74) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 95) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $74,714 and homes at $326,187 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
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.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Sioux Falls | 0% | 6.1% | 1.08% | $57,508 |
206,410 residents · South Dakota
What does daily life actually cost in Sioux Falls? Start with the 20% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. You get the picture. On the category level, Housing (index 74) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 95) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $74,714 and homes at $326,187 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
Sioux Falls ranks #1 in South Dakota for this analysis with a cost index of 74 and median income of $74,714.
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.
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.