Brandon, SD

Census place 4606840 · pop 10,996

B74/ 100
👍 Solid
B
in SD
📍 South Dakota ranks #3 of 50 states →
🏆 Jobs2.0% · top 1%
🚽 Disaster93/100 · bottom 40%
Taxes
1.15% property · US 0.99%6.11% sales · US 7.00%None income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Natural disaster riskCounty-level93/10040

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

93/100 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.

Housing cost$336,60040

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

$336,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Property-tax burden1.15%41

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

1.15% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Adult obesity34.8%51

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

34.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level2 days51

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

2 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 smoking11.6%67

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

11.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Income inequality0.4167

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.41 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Bachelor's degree or higher41.9%72

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

41.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Median household income$110,80682

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

$110,806 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Population growth (5yr)+10.7%82

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

+10.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Physical inactivity19.1%83

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

19.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Poor mental health14.5%83

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

14.5% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Uninsured adults6.1%84

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

6.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Commute time18 min84

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

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

Broadband access95.8%85

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

95.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Homeownership80.1%86

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

80.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Rent$1,202/mo88

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

$1,202/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Air quality (AQI)County-level34 AQI91

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

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

Poverty rate1.4%99

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

1.4% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Unemployment rateCounty-level2.0%100

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

2.0% 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 Brandon: 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 Brandon, SD a good place to live?
By the numbers, Brandon scores 74/100 — a B (Solid) 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 natural disaster risk. 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 Brandon, SD expensive to live in?
Brandon has a median home value of $336,600 and typical rent around $1,202/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Brandon, SD?
Its weakest measured area is natural disaster risk (93/100) — 40/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
What is Brandon, SD best at?
Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (2.0%) — 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.