States › South Dakota › Yankton

Is Yankton, SD expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 15 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$92347% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$73,127about $6,094/month · 16% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$222,70033% lower than U.S. average

Rent here is among the lowest 10% of all U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.0 years of household income. Commutes are short, about 13.3 minutes.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $36,920 a year. That is $18 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other South Dakota cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of South Dakota. It is number 4 of 19 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Yankton
$923
Mitchell
$1,271
Huron
$1,233
Pierre
$1,193
Spearfish
$1,291
Box Elder
$1,684
Vermillion
$858

How much do households earn in Yankton?

Under $25k
14.3%
$25k–50k
25.5%
$50k–100k
34.4%
$100k–150k
16.3%
$150k+
5.8%

Share of households by yearly income. 22.1% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Yankton

SizeYanktonU.S. average
Studio$1,493$1,338
1 bedroom$743$1,324
2 bedrooms$948$1,509
3 bedrooms$937$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Yankton overall?

Everyday prices in South Dakota overall are 11% below the U.S. average (index 88.6, U.S. = 100).

Housing
68
Goods (food, clothes…)
95
Utilities
80
Other services
92
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Yankton, so the South Dakota figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Yankton

🏛️ Property tax$2,507a year · 1.13% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$106a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Yankton

Commute to work13.3 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree33.2%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home66.3%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line14.1%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment2%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Yankton?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $622 a month less.

Renting
$923
Owning
$1,545

Owning assumes a typical $222,700 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $22,270 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Yankton, SD?

Renting in Yankton costs a median of about $923 a month in 2026, including utilities. The South Dakota median is $1,271.

How much do I need to make to live in Yankton?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $36,920 a year, or $18 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Yankton cheap or expensive?

Yankton is rated Cheap: rent takes 15.1% of the typical household income of $73,127. It ranks 4th cheapest of 19 South Dakota cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Yankton?

The median homeowner in Yankton pays $2,507 a year in property taxes, about 1.13% of the median home value.

Is Yankton more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in South Dakota are 11% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Yankton?

The median home value in Yankton is $222,700, about 3.0 times the typical yearly household income.

15,540 people live in Yankton. Numbers are typical (middle) values.