Brown County, South Dakota
Among the top 7% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A, better than 93% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 44% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 26% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 74% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 23% of US counties
- top 1% for commute time
- top 4% for cost of living
- bottom 7% for school quality
Brown County is a county in South Dakota with about 38,000 residents. It grades A for affordability and D for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include commute time, cost of living, and income tax. It rates lower on airport distance and school quality.
- The median home value in Brown County is $200k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Brown County is $70k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Brown County is $748 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Brown County has a violent crime rate of 1334/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Brown County is 13 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
freezing
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83%55%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.1 in0.6 in
humid 78%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$70k75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$41kbetter than 96% of US counties
Home Value$200k68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$748better than 68% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$11kbetter than 39% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.25%better than 24% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax6.11%better than 78% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden5.57%better than 88% of US counties
Unemployment3.6%better than 72% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)13°F3rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation22.7 in16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall41.8 inbetter than 18% of US counties
Sunny Days249 daysbetter than 63% of US counties
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 71% of US counties
Comfortable Days75 daysbetter than 38% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk73.5better than 26% of US counties
Air Quality29 AQIbetter than 90% of US counties
School Quality34.8better than 7% of US counties
Violent Crime1334/100kbetter than 20% of US counties
Property Crime1242/100kbetter than 35% of US counties
Community
Population38,27861st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age37.318th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2546th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9836th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2434th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)85.4%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.3%52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.8%41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)3.4%91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.1%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time13 minbetter than 99% of US counties
Walkability7.6/20better than 83% of US counties
Airport Distance254 mibetter than 8% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.5%better than 64% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.26better than 26% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 16% of US counties
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Brown County an affordable place to live?
- Brown County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $41k, better than 96% of comparable areas. Median rent is $748.
- Is Brown County safe?
- Brown County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1334/100k (better than 20%). Property crime is 1242/100k.
- What is the weather like in Brown County?
- Brown County averages 72°F in July and 13°F in January, with 22.7 in of annual precipitation and about 249 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Brown County?
- Public-school quality in Brown County is below average, scoring better than 7% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Brown County?
- The average one-way commute in Brown County is 13 min.