Box Elder, South Dakota
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 45% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 15% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 21% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 62% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 20% of US places
- top 8% for income tax
- top 9% for commute time
- bottom 3% for airport distance
Box Elder is a town in South Dakota with about 12,000 residents. It grades B for getting around and D for weather. Standout strengths include income tax, commute time, and estimated total tax burden. It rates lower on comfortable days and airport distance.
- The median home value in Box Elder is $265k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Box Elder is $72k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Box Elder is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Box Elder has a violent crime rate of 1479/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Box Elder is 18 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
75%54%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.2 in0.4 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$72k63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$45kbetter than 60% of US places
Home Value$265k73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 26% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 15% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.31%better than 33% of US places
Income Tax0.00%better than 92% of US places
Sales Tax6.11%better than 82% of US places
Estimated total tax burden6.86%better than 86% of US places
Unemployment5.0%better than 39% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)24°F21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)71°F19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation17.4 in11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall48.5 inbetter than 14% of US places
Sunny Days229 daysbetter than 44% of US places
Summer Humidity55°Fbetter than 83% of US places
Comfortable Days51 daysbetter than 10% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk46.6better than 75% of US places
Air Quality47 AQIbetter than 47% of US places
School Quality39.0better than 13% of US places
Violent Crime1479/100kbetter than 17% of US places
Property Crime1448/100kbetter than 32% of US places
Community
Population11,90589th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age28.67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3771st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.1579th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2651st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)75.5%36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.0%66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.8%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.4%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)15.3%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time18 minbetter than 91% of US places
Walkability7.8/20better than 71% of US places
Airport Distance306 mibetter than 3% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.3%better than 73% of US places
Amenities Nearby12.60better than 16% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 12% of US places
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)
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Box Elder an affordable place to live?
- Box Elder is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $45k, better than 60% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Box Elder safe?
- Box Elder is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1479/100k (better than 17%). Property crime is 1448/100k.
- What is the weather like in Box Elder?
- Box Elder averages 71°F in July and 24°F in January, with 17.4 in of annual precipitation and about 229 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Box Elder?
- Public-school quality in Box Elder is below average, scoring better than 13% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Box Elder?
- The average one-way commute in Box Elder is 18 min.