Hand County, South Dakota
Among the top 1% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A+, better than 99% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 25% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A+, better than 99% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 51% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 73% of US counties
- top 1% for commute time
- top 1% for estimated total tax burden
- bottom 7% for airport distance
Hand County is a county in South Dakota with about 3,075 residents. It grades A+ for affordability and D for weather. Standout strengths include commute time, estimated total tax burden, and unemployment. It rates lower on annual snowfall and airport distance.
Official websitehand.sdcounties.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
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82%57%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.1 in0.6 in
humid 67%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$73k79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$44kbetter than 66% of US counties
Home Value$150k44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$543better than 97% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 44% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.81%better than 53% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax6.11%better than 78% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden3.69%better than 99% of US counties
Unemployment1.2%better than 97% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)18°F10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation22.3 in16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall43.5 inbetter than 17% of US counties
Sunny Days249 daysbetter than 63% of US counties
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 71% of US counties
Comfortable Days63 daysbetter than 18% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk6.5better than 91% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime130/100kbetter than 91% of US counties
Property Crime65/100kbetter than 93% of US counties
Community
Population3,0756th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age44.676th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1115th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0577th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5977th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)92.6%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.1%8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.9%50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.2%24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.1%19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time13 minbetter than 99% of US counties
Walkability5.9/20better than 46% of US counties
Airport Distance274 mibetter than 7% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.9%better than 67% of US counties
Amenities Nearby26.02better than 97% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 27% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hand County an affordable place to live?
- Hand County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $44k, better than 66% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Hand County?
- The median home value in Hand County is $150k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Hand County?
- Median household income in Hand County is $73k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Hand County?
- Median gross rent in Hand County is $543 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Hand County safe?
- Hand County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 130/100k (better than 91%). Property crime is 65/100k.
- What is the weather like in Hand County?
- Hand County averages 75°F in July and 18°F in January, with 22.3 in of annual precipitation and about 249 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Hand County?
- Public-school quality in Hand County is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Hand County?
- The average one-way commute in Hand County is 13 min.
Other counties in South Dakota
Explore South Dakota
Data sources
- 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)