Rent Trends / SD
Rent Trends in South Dakota: 2015 to 2026
Yearly Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for 13 cities in South Dakota. That sits $718 below (-36.6% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,962.
Last updated: September 14, 2026
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · Jan snapshots for 2015–2025; 2026 column = June 2026 release · U.S. typical rent $1,962 (June 2026)
What the South Dakota rent trend shows
This page follows market rents in South Dakota from 2015 through mid-2026 using the same Zillow ZORI vintage for every city in the table. State figures below are simple averages of the tracked cities — useful for comparing places inside South Dakota and stacking the state against the published U.S. typical rent ($1,962/month in June 2026, up from $1,357 in January 2019 on our national series).
Since 2023, the tracked-city average in South Dakota has risen from about $1,155 to $1,244 (+7.7%). That is the post-spike path — not a full reset to mid-2010s rents. The latest year step (2025 → 2026) is -0.2% ($1,246 → $1,244).
For the national rent story, see the Rent Index. Statewide maps live on Rent by State. Full city database: Rent by City.
City-level breakdown in South Dakota
Lowest 2026 rents
- Vermillion — $813
- Mitchell — $941
- Aberdeen — $1,082
- Brookings — $1,135
- Watertown — $1,205
Highest 2026 rents
- Box Elder — $1,539
- Rapid City — $1,491
- Pierre — $1,399
- Spearfish — $1,370
- Brandon — $1,325
Full list with every year from 2015–2026 is in the sortable table below.
All South Dakota cities — yearly rent table
| City | Metro | '15 | '16 | '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | '25 | '26 | % Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | — | — | $875 | $919 | $923 | $960 | $995 | $1,127 | $1,216 | $1,242 | $1,260 | $1,318 | +50.6% | |
| Rapid City | — | — | — | $951 | $969 | $991 | $1,070 | $1,237 | $1,337 | $1,366 | $1,409 | $1,491 | +56.8% | |
| Aberdeen | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,082 | +0.0% | |
| Watertown | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,205 | +0.0% | |
| Brookings | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $913 | $990 | $1,069 | $1,135 | +24.3% | |
| Mitchell | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $941 | +0.0% | |
| Spearfish | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,370 | +0.0% | |
| Pierre | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,399 | +0.0% | |
| Vermillion | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $813 | +0.0% | |
| Brandon | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,325 | +0.0% | |
| Box Elder | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,539 | +0.0% | |
| Harrisburg | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,313 | +0.0% | |
| Tea | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,237 | +0.0% |
Click any column header to sort · % Chg uses earliest available year → 2026
Frequently asked questions — South Dakota rent
Is South Dakota cheap to rent in 2026?
Yes — relative to the national market. The average rent across 13 tracked South Dakota cities is about $1,244/month, which is $718 below (-36.6% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,962. That is a city-average in our sample, not a single statewide ZORI print, but it is a clear signal that South Dakota screens cheaper than the U.S. typical $1,962.
What city in South Dakota has the cheapest rent?
Among cities in our ZORI sample, Vermillion is the lowest at about $813/month (2026). Other lower-rent cities include Mitchell ($941), Aberdeen ($1,082), Brookings ($1,135).
What city in South Dakota has the most expensive rent?
Box Elder leads our sample at about $1,539/month in 2026, followed by Rapid City ($1,491) and Pierre ($1,399).
How much have rents in South Dakota changed since 2015?
Open the yearly columns in the table for each city’s 2015–2026 path.
Are rents in South Dakota still rising year over year?
From 2025 to 2026, the average across tracked South Dakota cities went from about $1,246 to $1,244 (-0.2%). Since 2023 ($1,155), that is +7.7%. Individual cities can diverge — sort by % Chg or compare the '25 and '26 columns.