Union County, South Dakota
Among the top 15% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 50% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 30% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 41% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 85% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 55% of US counties
- top 13% for commute time
- top 17% for unemployment
- bottom 8% for school quality
Union County is a county in South Dakota with about 17,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and C for weather. Standout strengths include commute time, unemployment, and sales tax. It rates lower on monthly owner costs and school quality.
Official websiteunioncountysd.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
freez.
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78%57%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.6 in0.8 in
humid 86%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$82k89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$45kbetter than 50% of US counties
Home Value$255k81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 23% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 17% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.13%better than 31% of US counties
Income Tax3.18%better than 78% of US counties
Sales Tax6.11%better than 78% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.71%better than 68% of US counties
Unemployment3.0%better than 83% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)20°F12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation29.5 in24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall35.2 inbetter than 24% of US counties
Sunny Days235 daysbetter than 48% of US counties
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 64% of US counties
Comfortable Days76 daysbetter than 41% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk37.1better than 61% of US counties
School Quality35.2better than 8% of US counties
Violent Crime638/100kbetter than 60% of US counties
Property Crime892/100kbetter than 50% of US counties
Community
Population16,70036th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.137th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1732nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0476th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3748th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)89.2%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.4%19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.1%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.7%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.5%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time19 minbetter than 87% of US counties
Walkability7.1/20better than 77% of US counties
Airport Distance109 mibetter than 43% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.4%better than 64% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.60better than 31% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 69% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Union County an affordable place to live?
- Union County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $45k, better than 50% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Union County?
- The median home value in Union County is $255k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Union County?
- Median household income in Union County is $82k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Union County?
- Median gross rent in Union County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Union County safe?
- Union County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 638/100k (better than 60%). Property crime is 892/100k.
- What is the weather like in Union County?
- Union County averages 75°F in July and 20°F in January, with 29.5 in of annual precipitation and about 235 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Union County?
- Public-school quality in Union County is below average, scoring better than 8% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Union County?
- The average one-way commute in Union County is 19 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)