Insights » South Dakota cities with highest and lowest household expenses

2023 Report: Cities in South Dakota where Household Expenses are Highest and Lowest

South Dakota

How does living in the Mount Rushmore state affect your wallet? doxo breaks down key insights about South Dakota’s household expenses, with a close eye to how bills differ in towns and cities across the state. The average household in South Dakota, doxo’s data reveals, pays $1,743 in bills per month.

doxo’s data also has infographics for 10 cities and towns across South Dakota, breaking down localized bill pay data figures as well. The state-wide rankings for most and least expensive cities provide insight into cost of living in South Dakota and how it changes according to location.

The data sheds light on South Dakota’s cost of living through other metrics, too. For example, the “percent of household income” data point shows what percentage of household income local residents spend on bills. doxo’s data also indicates how much more or less expensive specific cities are than the national and state average.

South Dakota residents pay $1,743 in household bills a month

The average South Dakota household pays $1,743 a month for the 10 most common household bills. This figure takes into account the 10 most common household bills, which are: Mortgage; Rent; Auto Loan; Utilities (electric, gas, water & sewer, and waste & recycling); Auto Insurance; Cable & Internet & Phone, Health Insurance (consumer paid portion); Mobile Phone; Alarm & Security; and Life Insurance.

South Dakota residents, overall, get a good deal on their bills: the state ranks 44th out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending. New Mexico ranks 43rd, with annual monthly expenses of $1,756, and Indiana ranks 45th, at $1,721.

South Dakota’s household expenses, on average, are 14.8% lower than the national average of $2,046.

Absolute dollar amounts don’t tell the full story, however. The “percentage of household income” metric provides a more proportional look at bill spending in a particular location. South Dakota households spend 35% of their income on household bills.  For example, Connecticut is the 6th most expensive state and New York is the 7th most expensive, but New York residents spend 38% of their income on bills, while Connecticut residents spend only 34%. 

Annually, South Dakota residents pay $7 billion in household bills. See more data about bill pay in South Dakota by clicking on the infographic link below.

Data: doxoINSIGHTS’ bill pay infographic about South Dakota

  • Average Bill Cost per HH: $1,743 per month
  • State Bill Pay Market Size: $7 billion
  • doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 44 out of 50
  • Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 35%
  • Difference from the National Average: 14.8% lower

Housing bill category drives South Dakota’s low monthly bill expenses

The average South Dakota household pays $1,743 in the 10 most common household bills per month. Rent and mortgage expenses drive savings, with both being considerably lower than the national average. The average mortgage payment in South Dakota is $1,238, and average rent is $814, compared to the national average mortgage bill of $1,321 and rent bill of $1,191.

Other than housing-related expenses, auto loans are the most significant of the 10 most common bills for South Dakotans. Still, these expenses are lower than the national average. The average auto loan bill in South Dakota is $464 a month, compared to the national average of $467.

Compared to the national average, health insurance is a notably higher expense for residents of South Dakota. The average household in the state pays $129 a month for health insurance, compared to the national average of $120.

Auto insurance is also more expensive in South Dakota. While US residents on average spend $207 per month on car insurance, in South Dakota they spend $224.

Note: Health Insurance and Life Insurance expenses do not account for payments made by employers on behalf of employees. These just include out-of-pocket expenses. Also, the state and national bill totals take into account the percentage of households that pay a bill.

Average South Dakota Household Bill Spending

Bill CategoryAverage South Dakota Monthly BillNational Average Monthly BillSouth Dakota Percent +/- National Average ($2,046)
Mortgage$1,238$1,3216% lower
Rent$814$1,19132% lower
Auto Loan$464$4671% lower
Utilities$278$35121% lower
Auto Insurance$224$2078% higher
Cable & Internet$95$11819% lower
Health Insurance$129$1208% higher
Mobile Phone$108$1199% lower
Alarm & Security$83$841% lower
Life Insurance$78$8912% lower
Total$1,743$2,04614.8% lower

Sioux Falls tops the list of most expensive cities for South Dakota’s household bills

Residents of Sioux Falls pay the highest household bills in the state of South Dakota, at an average of $1,898 per month. Pierre comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $1,896 on average per month.

In proportion to household income, Sioux Falls’ bills are costlier than ones in Pierre. While Sioux Falls’ monthly bill basket makes up 35% of average household income there, Pierre’s bill basket accounts for just 33% of average household income in that area.

Access detailed infographics about each city or town by clicking on the hyperlinks in the “City” column in the tables below. You can also browse doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to see infographics about more than 4,200 cities and towns across all 50 states in the US.

5 Most Expensive South Dakota Cities for Household Bills

*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).

Rapid City is the most affordable South Dakota city for household bills

Out of 10 cities and towns, Rapid City is the most affordable place in South Dakota, with residents paying $1,631 on average for household bills. Household bills account for 33% of local income in Rapid City.

Brookings comes in at the second most affordable town or city in South Dakota, with residents paying $1,661 per month on average.

5 Most Affordable South Dakota Cities for Household Bills

Rank
(6-10 out of 10)
CityMonthly Bill Expenses Per HouseholdPercent of Household Income Used for Bills
6Huron$1,76342%
7Watertown$1,72436%
8Mitchell$1,67642%
9Brookings$1,66136%
10Rapid City$1,63133%

Some individuals may be deciding whether to move from a more expensive city to a less expensive one. doxoINSIGHTS can be a valuable resource for consumers seeking to make key decisions like this, allowing them to compare South Dakota’s household expenses against average bills in different cities and states across the country. They can also use doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to compare average costs for over 900 towns and cities across the country.