How many renters live in Buffalo County, South Dakota?
The County of Buffalo County has 1,859 people living in 492 households.
There are 1,048 renters living in 251 renter households in this County. Renters make up 56.37 percent of the population living in Buffalo County.
What is the rental market like in Buffalo County, South Dakota?
There are an estimated 588 housing units in the Buffalo County area. Of these, 278 units are rental homes, making up 47 percent of the housing market. For every renter household in Buffalo County, South Dakota, there are 1 rental units.
What is the vacancy rate for rentals in Buffalo County?
The rental vacancy rate in Buffalo County is 10 percent. This is a higher than average vacancy rate. When rental vacancy rates are high it means that there are a lot of available units and rents tend to be lower.
How many rental units are in Buffalo County for each bedroom size?
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Buffalo County
| Studio | One-Bedroom | Two-Bedroom | Three-Bedroom | Four+ Bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 38 | 34 | 102 | 61 |
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Buffalo County
A large number of apartments in Buffalo County have two or fewer bedrooms. Seniors and young professionals especially may have more success finding an apartment that meets their needs.
How many renter households in Buffalo County are overburdened by housing costs?
Among renter households in this market, 28 percent have housing cost burden. Further, 15 percent of households are extremely rent overburdened. When renters pay too much for their housing, it leaves little money for other necessities like food, clothes, or medicine.
The federal government says that renters are cost-burdened if they pay more than a third of their monthly income for rent and utilities.
How Much Is Rent in Buffalo County
Depending on size, the Fair Market Rent - HUDs measurement of the cost of an average housing unit - ranges from $720 to $1,708. FMRs are updated annually by HUD for every city and county nationwide.
| Bed Size | 2024 Fair Market Rents |
| Studio | $720 |
| One BR | $809 |
| Two BR | $1,063 |
| Three BR | $1,285 |
| Four BR | $1,708 |
2024 Fair Market Rents in Buffalo County, South Dakota
How many units are rented at Fair Market Rent (FMR) in Buffalo County?
Renters with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher must select a home that is at or below the area’s Fair Market Rent. Markets with a large share of units above FMR tend to have longer search times to find a qualified unit, while those with a large share of units below FMR tend to have more choices and shorter search times. The share below FMR can vary by size of unit, as shown in the table below.
These are the approximate number of units renting below the FMR in this market:
| Unit Size | Count of Units Below FMR | Percentage of Total Units Below FMR |
| One BR | 27 | 71 percent |
| Two BR | 24 | 71 percent |
Rental Units Below FMR in Buffalo County, South Dakota
How many affordable rental units are in Buffalo County?
There are a variety of federal affordable housing programs serving households in Buffalo County, South Dakota including the following:
| Federal Program | Unit Count |
| USDA Section 515 Rural Rental Housing | 16 |
Tracked Units by Federal Program in Buffalo County, South Dakota
Rental units may be funded in part by multiple federal programs.
Income Based Apartments in Buffalo County, South Dakota
Buffalo County features 16 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.
Low Rent Apartments in Buffalo County, South Dakota
There are 16 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Buffalo County.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Buffalo County, South Dakota
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Buffalo County landlords $0 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $0 towards rent in Buffalo County.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Buffalo County, South Dakota for a two-bedroom apartment is between $957 and $1,169.
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
