Mellette County, South Dakota Housing Market

In Mellette County, South Dakota, the median home value is $84,100, with a median monthly rent of $708. This places Mellette County at #3057 nationally out of 3134 counties by median home value, and #62 within South Dakota.

Median Home Value $84,100
Median Rent $708/mo
Owner Occupancy 60.4%
Price/Rent Ratio 9.9

📈 Price Trend (2017 → 2024)

ℹ️ FHFA HPI data is not available for this county due to limited mortgage transaction volume.

📍 Economic Snapshot

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Employment & Wages

115
jobs (private sector)
  • Avg weekly wage: $663
  • Establishments: 25
  • BLS QCEW, 2025
🏗️

Housing Supply

2
new units authorized (2025)
  • Single-family: 2
  • Multi-family: 0
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey
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Migration Patterns

+26
net migration (filers, 2021-2022)
  • Inflow: 564 (avg $46,271)
  • Outflow: 538 (avg $45,762)
  • IRS Statistics of Income

How Mellette County Compares

MetricMellette CountySouth Dakota AverageU.S. Average
Median Home Value $84,100 $181,021 $227,706
Median Gross Rent $708 $784 $968
Owner Occupancy Rate 60.4% 72.6% 73.3%
Price/Rent Ratio 9.9 19.0 18.7

Market Analysis

The median home value in Mellette County is 53.5% below the South Dakota state average and 63.1% below the U.S. national average. The median rent of $708/month is 9.7% below the state average.

With a price-to-rent ratio of 9.9, buying a home in Mellette County is generally more favorable than renting for those planning to stay long-term. A ratio below 15 typically signals that purchasing is financially advantageous over a multi-year horizon.

Mellette County has an owner-occupancy rate of 60.4%, compared to 72.6% in South Dakota and 73.3% nationally. This indicates a more renter-heavy market than the U.S. average.

Similar Counties by Home Value

CountyStateMedian Home ValueMedian Rent
McIntosh County North Dakota $84,200 $608
Kusilvak Census Area Alaska $84,300 $833
Lee County Kentucky $83,900 $603
Clinch County Georgia $84,400 $509
Harper County Kansas $83,800 $690

Other Counties in South Dakota

CountyMedian Home ValueMedian RentOwner Occ.
McPherson County $85,600 $594 81.3%
Corson County $69,800 $496 59.1%
Dewey County $69,600 $692 61.2%
Ziebach County $99,600 $734 57.1%
Todd County $53,900 $532 46.3%

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2024 5-Year Estimates (2017–2024). Variables: B25077 (Median Home Value), B25064 (Median Gross Rent), B25003 (Tenure). Data collected on 2026-10-14. The price-to-rent ratio is calculated as Median Home Value ÷ (Median Monthly Rent × 12).