The typical owner-occupied home in Mellette County is worth about $84,100, 67% below the South Dakota median of $257,400 and 75% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $825 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 $54,076 a year, so the median home costs 1.6 times the median income (3.4 times for South Dakota). 60% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 17% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Mellette County at a glance
| Mellette County | South Dakota | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $84,100 | $257,400 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $825 | $2,724 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.98% | 1.06% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $54,076 | $75,081 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 60% | 69% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 17% | 54% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,023 | $1,680 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.7% | 20.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $708 | $946 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 21.3% | 25.9% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1969 | 1980 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 17.7% | 10.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 1,943 | 907,428 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Mellette County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Mellette County home of $84,100 with 20% down costs about $556 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $696, 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 $23,842 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 12% of the median Mellette County household income of $54,076; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $191,000.
The median rent here is $708 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $16,820 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $67,280 |
| Principal and interest | $453 |
| Property taxes (0.98% a year) | $69 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $35 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $556 |
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| Down payment | $2,944 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $82,577 |
| Principal and interest | $556 |
| Property taxes (0.98% a year) | $69 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $35 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $37 |
| Total per month | $696 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Mellette County
What is the median home value in Mellette County?
About $84,100 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Mellette County?
Homeowners pay a median $825 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 Mellette County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $556 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $23,842 a year.
More about Mellette County
- Mortgage Refinance in Mellette County
- Debt Relief in Mellette County
- Home Equity Loans in Mellette County
- 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