Lawrence County, South Dakota
Among the top 14% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A, better than 86% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 8% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 14% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 60% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 62% of US counties
- top 9% for income tax
- top 11% for amenities nearby
- bottom 3% for annual snowfall
Lawrence County is a county in South Dakota with about 26,000 residents. It grades A for affordability and F for weather. Standout strengths include income tax, amenities nearby, and unemployment. It rates lower on airport distance and annual snowfall.
- The median home value in Lawrence County is $268k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Lawrence County is $63k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Lawrence County is $888 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Lawrence County has a violent crime rate of 1472/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Lawrence County is 19 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cold
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80%57%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.9 in1.2 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$63k57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$44kbetter than 59% of US counties
Home Value$268k84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$888better than 37% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$7kbetter than 50% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.97%better than 41% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax6.11%better than 78% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden6.15%better than 85% of US counties
Unemployment2.5%better than 88% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)24°F20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)67°F5th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation25.7 in20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall91.3 inbetter than 3% of US counties
Sunny Days229 daysbetter than 39% of US counties
Summer Humidity54°Fbetter than 87% of US counties
Comfortable Days58 daysbetter than 15% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk49.3better than 50% of US counties
School Quality40.3better than 16% of US counties
Violent Crime1472/100kbetter than 16% of US counties
Property Crime1450/100kbetter than 27% of US counties
Community
Population26,04750th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age43.065th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1629th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9728th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3242nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)89.4%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.7%27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.8%41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.6%49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.6%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time19 minbetter than 85% of US counties
Walkability7.1/20better than 77% of US counties
Airport Distance316 mibetter than 6% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access87.8%better than 78% of US counties
Amenities Nearby11.52better than 89% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 7% of US counties
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)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lawrence County an affordable place to live?
- Lawrence County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $44k, better than 59% of comparable areas. Median rent is $888.
- Is Lawrence County safe?
- Lawrence County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1472/100k (better than 16%). Property crime is 1450/100k.
- What is the weather like in Lawrence County?
- Lawrence County averages 67°F in July and 24°F in January, with 25.7 in of annual precipitation and about 229 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Lawrence County?
- Public-school quality in Lawrence County is below average, scoring better than 16% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Lawrence County?
- The average one-way commute in Lawrence County is 19 min.