Custer County, South Dakota
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 59% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 48% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 60% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade F, better than 6% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 10% of US counties
- top 9% for income tax
- top 9% for summer humidity
- bottom 7% for airport distance
Custer County is a county in South Dakota with about 8,515 residents. It grades B for safety & wellbeing and F for getting around. Standout strengths include income tax, summer humidity, and estimated total tax burden. It rates lower on annual snowfall and airport distance.
Official websitecustercountysd.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
very cold
81%58%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.8 in0.5 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$76k83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 35% of US counties
Home Value$295k87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$948better than 29% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 13% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.83%better than 52% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax6.11%better than 78% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden5.23%better than 90% of US counties
Unemployment3.0%better than 83% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)25°F23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)68°F7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation19.7 in12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall50.6 inbetter than 11% of US counties
Sunny Days262 daysbetter than 80% of US counties
Summer Humidity50°Fbetter than 91% of US counties
Comfortable Days55 daysbetter than 13% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk16.3better than 82% of US counties
Air Quality43 AQIbetter than 49% of US counties
School Quality77.7better than 81% of US counties
Violent Crime1127/100kbetter than 29% of US counties
Property Crime1083/100kbetter than 41% of US counties
Community
Population8,51519th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age56.899th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1733rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9943rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4355th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)88.9%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.4%17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.3%45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.5%45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.0%85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time31 minbetter than 13% of US counties
Walkability5.8/20better than 40% of US counties
Airport Distance272 mibetter than 7% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access83.1%better than 49% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 11% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Custer County an affordable place to live?
- Custer County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $47k, better than 35% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Custer County?
- The median home value in Custer County is $295k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Custer County?
- Median household income in Custer County is $76k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Custer County?
- Median gross rent in Custer County is $948 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Custer County safe?
- Custer County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1127/100k (better than 29%). Property crime is 1083/100k.
- What is the weather like in Custer County?
- Custer County averages 68°F in July and 25°F in January, with 19.7 in of annual precipitation and about 262 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Custer County?
- Public-school quality in Custer County is above average, scoring better than 81% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Custer County?
- The average one-way commute in Custer County is 31 min.
Other counties in South Dakota
Explore South Dakota
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)