The typical owner-occupied home in Lake Preston is worth about $130,000, 49% below the South Dakota median of $257,400 and 61% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,614 a year in property taxes, about 1.24% of their home's value, higher than the South Dakota rate of 1.06%. The median household earns $52,396 a year, so the median home costs 2.5 times the median income (3.4 times for South Dakota). 62% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 45% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Lake Preston at a glance
| Lake Preston | South Dakota | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $130,000 | $257,400 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,614 | $2,724 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.24% | 1.06% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $52,396 | $75,081 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 62% | 69% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 45% | 54% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,216 | $1,680 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 13.7% | 20.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $615 | $946 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 36.4% | 25.9% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1965 | 1980 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 7.6% | 10.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 596 | 907,428 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Lake Preston
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Lake Preston home of $130,000 with 20% down costs about $888 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,105, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $38,062 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 20% of the median Lake Preston household income of $52,396; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $179,000.
The median rent here is $615 a month, so owning the median home costs about $273 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $26,000 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $104,000 |
| Principal and interest | $700 |
| Property taxes (1.24% a year) | $134 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $54 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $888 |
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| Down payment | $4,550 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $127,645 |
| Principal and interest | $859 |
| Property taxes (1.24% a year) | $134 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $54 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $58 |
| Total per month | $1,105 |
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Questions about home buying in Lake Preston
What is the median home value in Lake Preston?
About $130,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Lake Preston?
Homeowners pay a median $1,614 a year, which is about 1.24% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Lake Preston?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $888 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $38,062 a year.
More about Lake Preston
- Mortgage Refinance in Lake Preston
- Debt Relief in Lake Preston
- Home Equity Loans in Lake Preston
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data