The typical owner-occupied home in Lead is worth about $189,400, 26% below the South Dakota median of $257,400 and 43% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,864 a year in property taxes, about 0.98% of their home's value, lower than the South Dakota rate of 1.06%. The median household earns $73,047 a year, so the median home costs 2.6 times the median income (3.4 times for South Dakota). 70% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 47% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Lead at a glance
| Lead | South Dakota | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $189,400 | $257,400 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,864 | $2,724 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.98% | 1.06% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $73,047 | $75,081 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 70% | 69% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 47% | 54% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,276 | $1,680 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 15.3% | 20.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $835 | $946 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 24.7% | 25.9% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1938 | 1980 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 19.9% | 10.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 3,006 | 907,428 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Lead
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Lead home of $189,400 with 20% down costs about $1,253 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,568, 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 $53,694 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 21% of the median Lead household income of $73,047; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $258,000.
The median rent here is $835 a month, so owning the median home costs about $418 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $37,880 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $151,520 |
| Principal and interest | $1,019 |
| Property taxes (0.98% a year) | $155 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $79 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,253 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $6,629 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $185,969 |
| Principal and interest | $1,251 |
| Property taxes (0.98% a year) | $155 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $79 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $84 |
| Total per month | $1,568 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Lead
What is the median home value in Lead?
About $189,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Lead?
Homeowners pay a median $1,864 a year, which is about 0.98% 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 Lead?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,253 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $53,694 a year.
More about Lead
- Mortgage Refinance in Lead
- Debt Relief in Lead
- Home Equity Loans in Lead
- 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