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Buying a home in Whitewood, South Dakota

The typical owner-occupied home in Whitewood is worth about $243,300, 5% below the South Dakota median of $257,400 and 27% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,531 a year in property taxes, about 1.04% of their home's value, close to the South Dakota rate of 1.06%. The median household earns $77,500 a year, so the median home costs 3.1 times the median income (3.4 times for South Dakota). 83% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 57% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Whitewood at a glance

Whitewood South Dakota U.S.
Median home value $243,300 $257,400 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,531 $2,724 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.04% 1.06% 0.94%
Median household income $77,500 $75,081 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 83% 69% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 57% 54% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,793 $1,680 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 22.2% 20.4% 21.0%
Median rent $946 $946 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 28.2% 25.9% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1981 1980 1980
Vacant homes 6.9% 10.5% 10.1%
Population 912 907,428 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Whitewood

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Whitewood home of $243,300 with 20% down costs about $1,622 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,027, 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 $69,497 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 25% of the median Whitewood household income of $77,500; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $271,000.

The median rent here is $946 a month, so owning the median home costs about $676 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$48,660
Loan amount$194,640
Principal and interest$1,309
Property taxes (1.04% a year)$211
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$101
PMI$0
Total per month$1,622

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$8,516
Loan amount$238,893
Principal and interest$1,607
Property taxes (1.04% a year)$211
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$101
FHA mortgage insurance$108
Total per month$2,027

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Questions about home buying in Whitewood

What is the median home value in Whitewood?

About $243,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Whitewood?

Homeowners pay a median $2,531 a year, which is about 1.04% 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 Whitewood?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,622 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $69,497 a year.

More about Whitewood

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