Meade County, South Dakota
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 48% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 21% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 27% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 15% of US counties
- top 9% for income tax
- top 14% for estimated total tax burden
- bottom 2% for park & nature access
Meade County is a county in South Dakota with about 30,000 residents. It grades C for affordability and D for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include income tax, estimated total tax burden, and summer humidity. It rates lower on school quality and park & nature access.
Official websitemeadecounty.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
very cold
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warm
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v.cold
79%57%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.4 in0.5 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$70k75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 42% of US counties
Home Value$252k81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 16% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 18% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.09%better than 33% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax6.11%better than 78% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden5.92%better than 86% of US counties
Unemployment3.5%better than 75% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)22°F15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation18.6 in11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall45.1 inbetter than 15% of US counties
Sunny Days234 daysbetter than 46% of US counties
Summer Humidity55°Fbetter than 86% of US counties
Comfortable Days50 daysbetter than 11% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk49.5better than 49% of US counties
Air Quality43 AQIbetter than 49% of US counties
School Quality30.0better than 3% of US counties
Violent Crime1195/100kbetter than 26% of US counties
Property Crime1303/100kbetter than 32% of US counties
Community
Population29,97054th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age36.514th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2241st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.1089th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5065th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)86.0%60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.7%46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.5%47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.7%58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)7.1%90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 76% of US counties
Walkability5.5/20better than 33% of US counties
Airport Distance341 mibetter than 5% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access87.0%better than 73% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 2% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Meade County an affordable place to live?
- Meade County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 42% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Meade County?
- The median home value in Meade County is $252k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Meade County?
- Median household income in Meade County is $70k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Meade County?
- Median gross rent in Meade County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Meade County safe?
- Meade County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1195/100k (better than 26%). Property crime is 1303/100k.
- What is the weather like in Meade County?
- Meade County averages 73°F in July and 22°F in January, with 18.6 in of annual precipitation and about 234 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Meade County?
- Public-school quality in Meade County is below average, scoring better than 3% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Meade County?
- The average one-way commute in Meade County is 21 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)