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Meade County, SD

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Meade County, SD is $1,273 per month, ranking #324 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $74,161, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 20.6% of income on housing. Rent in Meade County has increased 10.1% year over year. The area has a population of 30K, with 27.3% of households renting.

20.6%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,273
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$74,161
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,150
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+10.1%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
30K
Population
Census ACS
27.3%
Renters
of occupied housing
$274,800
Median Home Value
2.1%
Unemployment
BLS LAUS
6.7%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
7.6%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$878
Studio
$970
1 Bedroom
$1,273
2 Bedroom
$1,770
3 Bedroom
$2,136
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Meade County, SD, a household earning the area median income of $74,161 would spend 20.6% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$50,920
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$24
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,150
$123 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+48.4% since 2021
$8582021$9162022$1,0122023$1,1562024$1,0952025$1,2732026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in South Dakota is $11.20/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 87.4 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Meade County is 7.6%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$11.20/hr
Hours/Week Needed
87.4 hrs
Poverty Rate
7.6%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Meade County is $274,800. At a median income of $74,161, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.7x. 6.7% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is below the national average and suggests a tight housing market. The local unemployment rate is 2.1%, below the national average, indicating a relatively strong local labor market.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,924 est. mortgage
vs $1,273 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
6.7%
of housing units
Unemployment
2.1%
BLS, latest available

Other Areas in South Dakota

Rapid City
$1,336/mo
2BR FMR · 22.3% burden
Custer County
$1,173/mo
2BR FMR · 17.2% burden
Sioux Falls
$1,156/mo
2BR FMR · 17% burden
Sioux City
$1,154/mo
2BR FMR · 19.2% burden

Compare Meade County

vs Rapid City, SDvs Custer County, SDvs Sioux Falls, SD

Areas With Similar Rent to Meade County

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Meade County, SD is $1,273 per month. A studio is $878/mo, a 1-bedroom is $970/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,770/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,150/mo.

Meade County has a rent burden of 20.6%, meaning a household earning the median income of $74,161 would spend 20.6% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $50,920.

Meade County's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,273/mo is $23 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Meade County ranks #324 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Meade County without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $50,920, or a full-time hourly wage of $24/hour. The area median income is $74,161.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Meade County increased by 10.1% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.