Brown County vs Minnehaha County
Brown County, South Dakota versus Minnehaha County, South Dakota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Brown County and Minnehaha County score about the same overall (53 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Brown County | Minnehaha County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $70k | $73k |
| Cost of Living | $41k | $42k |
| Home Value | $200k | $246k |
| Monthly Rent | $748 | $927 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.25% | 1.19% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.11% | 6.11% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 5.57% | 6.04% |
| Unemployment | 3.6% | 2.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 13°F | 17°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 22.7 in | 29.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 41.8 in | 46.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 249 days | 235 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 75 days | 82 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 73.5 | 89.5 |
| Air Quality | 29 AQI | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 34.8 | 37.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1334/100k | 1486/100k |
| Property Crime | 1242/100k | 2603/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 38,278 | 197,742 |
| Median Age | 37.3 | 35.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.25 | 0.31 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 1.04 |
| Political Leaning | R+24 | Even |
| White (%) | 85.4% | 80.2% |
| Black (%) | 2.3% | 6.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.8% | 5.6% |
| Asian (%) | 3.4% | 1.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.1% | 6.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 13 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 7.6/20 | 11.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 254 mi | 170 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.5% | 90.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.26 | 0.66 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Brown County or Minnehaha County more affordable?
- Brown County has the lower cost of living: its index is $41k, compared with Brown County's $41k and Minnehaha County's $42k. Median rent is $748 in Brown County versus $927 in Minnehaha County.
- Is Brown County or Minnehaha County safer?
- Brown County has the lower violent crime rate. Brown County reports 1334/100k and Minnehaha County reports 1486/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Brown County or Minnehaha County?
- The median home value is $200k in Brown County and $246k in Minnehaha County, so homes are more affordable in Brown County.