South Dakota · FIPS 46017 · ACS 2020–2024
Buffalo County, South Dakota property tax rate
Homeowners in Buffalo County paid a median of $473 a year in real estate taxes on a median home value of $117,800 (2020–2024 survey). Taxes came to 0.20% of home value, 80% below the South Dakota rate of 1.00% and 79% below the U.S. rate of 0.94%.
- 0.20%Effective tax rate±0.11% margin · South Dakota: 1.00%
- $473Median tax per yearSouth Dakota: $2,724 · U.S.: $3,119
- $117,800Median home valueSouth Dakota: $257,400
- 267Owner-occupied homes53% of households own
Small sample. This estimate has fewer than 500 owner-occupied homes and a wide margin of error, so treat it as a rough guide.
| Measure | Buffalo County | South Dakota | U.S. | Buffalo County 2019–2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effective tax rate | 0.20% | 1.00% | 0.94% | 0.32% | −0.12 pts |
| Median tax, all owners | $473 | $2,724 | $3,119 | $843 | −$370 (-43.9%) |
| Median tax, with a mortgage | n/a | $2,955 | $3,489 | n/a | n/a |
| Median tax, no mortgage | n/a | $2,390 | $2,576 | $816 | n/a |
| Median home value | $117,800 | $257,400 | $332,700 | $108,000 | +$9,800 (+9.1%) |
| Total taxes paid | $79,500 | $761,479,200 | $360,573,527,500 | $108,200 |
How Buffalo County compares
- Per $1,000 of home value, owners here paid about $2.00 a year, against $9.97 statewide and $9.40 nationally.
- Homes with a mortgage: 0.64% of value; homes without one: 0.17%. Median bills: n/a and n/a.
- Compared with the 2019–2023 survey, the effective rate fell (−0.12 pts) and the median tax changed −$370 (-43.9%). The two 5-year surveys share four years of responses, so year-to-year moves are small and partly noise.
- Margin of error: the effective rate is 0.20% ± 0.11% at 90% confidence, from a sample of the 267 owner-occupied homes.
South Dakota counties with similar rates
| County | Effective rate | Median tax | Median value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roberts County | 0.69% | $1,492 | $154,500 |
| Tripp County | 0.69% | $1,262 | $132,900 |
| Miner County | 0.70% | $1,306 | $142,600 |
| Custer County | 0.71% | $2,879 | $372,100 |
| Clark County | 0.76% | $1,389 | $158,400 |
| Lawrence County | 0.77% | $2,744 | $346,500 |
| Day County | 0.78% | $1,693 | $173,600 |
| Hand County | 0.80% | $1,413 | $159,300 |
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, table-based summary file: B25090 (aggregate real estate taxes), B25082 (aggregate home value), B25103 (median real estate taxes), B25077 (median home value) and B25003 (tenure); files dated January 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, same tables (files dated October 31, 2024), for the comparison column.
- Geography names: Census Bureau Geos20245YR.txt (file dated January 22, 2026).
Effective rate = total real estate taxes paid by owner-occupied homes ÷ their total value, as reported by owners to the Census Bureau. It is not a millage rate. Your bill depends on your assessed value, exemptions (such as homestead) and local levies.