Mellette County, South Dakota
Among the top 2% of US counties for safety & wellbeing.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 67% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 38% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A+, better than 98% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade D, better than 22% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 24% of US counties
- top 3% for violent crime
- top 3% for property crime
- bottom 1% for unemployment
Mellette County is a county in South Dakota with about 1,989 residents. It grades A+ for safety & wellbeing and D for getting around. Standout strengths include violent crime, property crime, and amenities nearby. It rates lower on broadband access and unemployment.
Official websitemellettecounty.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
very cold
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82%58%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.7 in0.5 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$41k8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$44kbetter than 68% of US counties
Home Value$61k0th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$670better than 85% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 65% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.62%better than 10% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax6.11%better than 78% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden4.39%better than 96% of US counties
Unemployment16.5%better than 1% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)22°F16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation20.4 in14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall40.8 inbetter than 19% of US counties
Sunny Days256 daysbetter than 73% of US counties
Summer Humidity58°Fbetter than 80% of US counties
Comfortable Days53 daysbetter than 12% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk5.2better than 93% of US counties
School Quality66.7better than 70% of US counties
Violent Crime0/100kbetter than 97% of US counties
Property Crime0/100kbetter than 97% of US counties
Community
Population1,9893rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age36.313th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5079th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9516th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2031st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)32.2%7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.3%13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)0.7%3rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.0%4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)66.9%99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time16 minbetter than 96% of US counties
Walkability3.9/20better than 3% of US counties
Airport Distance294 mibetter than 6% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access62.3%better than 2% of US counties
Amenities Nearby25.14better than 97% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 8% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Mellette County an affordable place to live?
- Mellette County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $44k, better than 68% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Mellette County?
- The median home value in Mellette County is $61k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Mellette County?
- Median household income in Mellette County is $41k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Mellette County?
- Median gross rent in Mellette County is $670 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Mellette County safe?
- Mellette County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 0/100k (better than 97%). Property crime is 0/100k.
- What is the weather like in Mellette County?
- Mellette County averages 75°F in July and 22°F in January, with 20.4 in of annual precipitation and about 256 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Mellette County?
- Public-school quality in Mellette County is above average, scoring better than 70% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Mellette County?
- The average one-way commute in Mellette County is 16 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)