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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in South Dakota

Statewide Regional Price Parities for South Dakota from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 2 metro areas.

88.6
Statewide RPP
#46
of 51 states by cost
67.6
Rents RPP
2
Metro areas

The verdict

South Dakota costs less than 90% of U.S. states, a statewide index of 88.6, 11.4% below the national average.

88.6
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#46
of 51 states by overall cost
bottom 10%
nationally, among all states
67.6
rents RPP, the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $112,885 when earned in South Dakota.

Reading the South Dakota Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places South Dakota's statewide Regional Price Parity at 88.6 for the 2024 data year, 11.4% less expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's categories sit near average, while rents offer the biggest relief at 67.6. That internal spread, rather than the single state number, is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

South Dakota captures 2 metro areas in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. Sioux Falls, SD-MN leads on cost at 90.6, while Rapid City, SD sits at the opposite end at 89.2 - a gap of 1.5 index points inside a single state. For goods the state indexes at 95.5, for services 79.7, and for rents 67.6 - the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, South Dakota's statewide index has climbed by 3.6 points, meaning the cost gap between this state and cheaper parts of the country has widened. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $112,885 of national buying power when earned inside South Dakota, and a household relocating here would need roughly $88,586 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

88.6
Overall
95.5
Goods
79.7
Services
67.6
Rents

South Dakota vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

89 Top 90% higher than 10% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). This entry sits in this band. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). Above this entry. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Above this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities · 2024

Most Expensive in South Dakota → Cheapest in South Dakota →

Metro areas in South Dakota, ranked by cost

# Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
1 Sioux Falls 90.6 95.5 80.7 77.6
2 Rapid City 89.2 95.5 79.1 72.6

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 85.0
2009 86.1
2010 88.8
2011 87.3
2012 90.3
2013 90.2
2014 89.4
2015 87.8
2016 87.3
2017 87.2
2018 91.2
2019 91.8
2020 91.3
2021 90.1
2022 87.9
2023 88.1
2024 88.6

What this means in South Dakota

The statewide index is a starting point, cost varies metro to metro within South Dakota.

  • Don't rely on the state figure alone: Sioux Falls (90.6) and Rapid City (89.2) sit 1 index points apart inside South Dakota. Check your specific metro.
  • Rents index at 67.6 (32.4% below average) - the largest swing in the RPP. Review the housing line before any relocation decision. Highest rents
  • Weighing South Dakota against another state? Convert your salary to local purchasing power first. Salary calculator

RPP is BEA's annual price-level benchmark (national average = 100) for the data year shown, pair it with local wages and current rents before deciding.

Cost of Living Guides

Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in South Dakota? ▼
South Dakota has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 88.6, meaning it is 11.4% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 95.5, services at 79.7, and rents at 67.6.
What salary in South Dakota equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $88,586 in South Dakota. Conversely, $100K earned in South Dakota has the purchasing power of $112,885 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in South Dakota? ▼
Rents in South Dakota are indexed at 67.6, which is 32.4% below the national average. The state is relatively affordable for renters.
Which is the most expensive metro in South Dakota? ▼
The most expensive metro area in South Dakota is Sioux Falls, SD-MN with an RPP of 90.6. The most affordable is Rapid City, SD at 89.2. There are 2 metro areas in South Dakota with BEA price data.
Is South Dakota getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, South Dakota's overall cost index changed by +3.6 points (from 85.0 to 88.6). The cost of living has been trending upward.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Every figure on PlainCost is rendered directly from BEA Regional Price Parity source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on BEA Regional Price Parity source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.