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Box Elder, SD

Census place 4606620 · pop 12,902

D59/ 100
😐 Meh
D−
in SD
📍 South Dakota ranks #3 of 50 states →
🏆 Jobs1.8% · top 1%
🚽 Own48.2% · bottom 12%
Taxes
1.33% property · US 0.99%6.11% sales · US 7.00%None income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

Google Maps ↗Zillow ↗Wikipedia ↗

The breakdown — worst first

Homeownership48.2%12

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

48.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level7 days28

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

7 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Adult smoking15.2%32

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

15.2% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Property-tax burden1.33%33

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.33% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Poor mental health18.1%35

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

18.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Air quality (AQI)County-level45 AQI39

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

45 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Bachelor's degree or higher28.0%45

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

28.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Uninsured adults10.0%46

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

10.0% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Housing cost$302,10046

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$302,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Median household income$73,00848

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$73,008 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Broadband access93.3%64

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

93.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Adult obesity32.2%66

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

32.2% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Physical inactivity21.3%71

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

21.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Poverty rate7.5%72

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

7.5% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Rent$1,448/mo72

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,448/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level71/10074

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

71/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time20 min75

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

20 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Income inequality0.3887

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.38 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Population growth (5yr)+33.2%97

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+33.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Unemployment rateCounty-level1.8%100

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

1.8% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Not measured for Box Elder: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Box Elder, SD a good place to live?
By the numbers, Box Elder scores 59/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unemployment rate and its weakest is homeownership. South Dakota overall ranks #3 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Box Elder, SD expensive to live in?
Box Elder has a median home value of $302,100 and typical rent around $1,448/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Box Elder, SD?
Its weakest measured area is homeownership (48.2%) — 12/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Box Elder, SD best at?
Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (1.8%) — 100/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.