County FMR · HUD FY2026

McCook County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for McCook County, SD - 3% above the US average.

$986
1-bedroom FMR
$1,156
2-bedroom FMR
+11.8%
YoY change
+3%
vs US avg

The verdict

McCook is the 8th most expensive of 66 counties in South Dakota by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,132 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 11.8% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#1,132
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#8
most expensive of 66 in South Dakota (2BR)
+26%
vs the state average
$39,440
income to afford it (30% rule)

General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.9%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (43.8%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for McCook County, SD. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in McCook County, South Dakota is $986 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,156/mo and a studio is $865/mo. This is 3% higher than the national average of $959 and 26% above the South Dakota average of $784.

Rent increased11.8% from FY 2025 ($882), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $39,440/year for a 1-bedroom.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in South Dakota. Population: 5,714. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+4.0%, Census ACS). That's in line with South Dakota's statewide growth of +4.0% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area MCCOOK·COUNTY·SD·SD

McCook County, SD: $986/mo 1BR · #1132 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA SD
  • 1BR-FMR $986
  • 2BR-FMR $1,156
  • RANK-MID #1,132
  • YOY-SURGE +11.8%
  • VSUS-NEAR +3%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +26% SD
  • INC-ROOM 15%
  • POP-SMALL 6K
  • PHOTO-FINISH Minnehaha County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $887–$1,085
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Minnehaha ($0 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $691 · US avg: $893
$865/mo
↑ 15.6% YoY +25% vs state -3% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $784 · US avg: $959
$986/mo
↑ 11.8% YoY +26% vs state +3% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $990 · US avg: $1,175
$1,156/mo
↑ 12.2% YoY +17% vs state -2% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,295 · US avg: $1,525
$1,586/mo
↑ 12.3% YoY +22% vs state +4% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,540 · US avg: $1,756
$1,939/mo
↑ 12.1% YoY +26% vs state +10% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $748
$865
+$117 (+15.6%)
1 Bedroom $882
$986
+$104 (+11.8%)
2 Bedroom $1,030
$1,156
+$126 (+12.2%)
3 Bedroom $1,412
$1,586
+$174 (+12.3%)
4 Bedroom $1,730
$1,939
+$209 (+12.1%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in McCook County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
12.8%
Affordable
Need $34,600/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
14.6%
Affordable
Need $39,440/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
17.2%
Affordable
Need $46,240/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
23.5%
Affordable
Need $63,440/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
28.8%
Affordable
Need $77,560/yr for 30% rule
How we calculate this

Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.

0%100%National avg22%17.2%
McCook County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $80,847 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View South Dakota rent burden →

Where McCook sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,156 Top 36% higher than 64% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). This entry sits in this band. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

How McCook compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other South Dakota counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows McCook is highlighted. Nearby South Dakota counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Pennington County ($1,018), McCook County (this county) ($986), Minnehaha County ($986), Lincoln County ($986), Meade County ($970), Brookings County ($781), Brown County ($708).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $986/mo compares to South Dakota salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation SD Salary Rent Burden Verdict
General & Operations Managers $133,440 8.9% Affordable
Software Developers $87,770 13.5% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $77,310 15.3% Affordable
Registered Nurses $69,510 17% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $60,300 19.6% Affordable
Electricians $58,550 20.2% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $57,300 20.6% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $56,880 20.8% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $49,110 24.1% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $43,760 27% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $39,760 29.8% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $34,260 34.5% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $33,940 34.9% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $29,480 40.1% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $27,020 43.8% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (South Dakota) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for McCook County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for McCook (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 43.9% overall, from $685 to $986. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 11.8% (FY 2026).

$600$700$800$900$1,000$1,100 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $986
McCook County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑11.8% $865 $986 $1,156
FY 2025 ↓0.2% $748 $882 $1,030
FY 2024 ↑11.5% $769 $884 $1,042
FY 2023 ↑8.2% $710 $793 $949
FY 2022 ↑2.7% $668 $733 $897
FY 2021 ↑4.2% $642 $714 $874
FY 2020 $599 $685 $839
Total change (6yr): +43.9%
Annualized: +6.3%/yr
1 BR: $685 → $986

Part of the Sioux Falls, SD-MN Metro Area

McCook County is a outlying county of the Sioux Falls, SD-MN metropolitan statistical area, alongside 4 other metro-area counties.

McCook County ranks #4 of 5 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Minnehaha County ($986), Lincoln County ($986), Turner County ($986), McCook County (this county) ($986), Rock County ($742).

Minnehaha County
1 BR: $986/mo
Lincoln County
1 BR: $986/mo
Turner County
1 BR: $986/mo
McCook County (this county)
1 BR: $986/mo
Rock County
1 BR: $742/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for McCook County, both outside South Dakota so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.

Similar 2-bedroom FMR

Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside SD (FY2026).

Jefferson County
WI · 2 BR $1,156/mo
Dixie County
FL · 2 BR $1,156/mo
Mercer County
ND · 2 BR $1,156/mo
Putnam County
FL · 2 BR $1,155/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside SD).

Holt County
NE · 17.2% of income · 2 BR $961/mo
Sauk County
WI · 17.2% of income · 2 BR $1,111/mo
Ralls County
MO · 17.2% of income · 2 BR $888/mo
Clark County
IL · 17.1% of income · 2 BR $1,009/mo

Nearby Counties in South Dakota

Largest counties by population in South Dakota

Showing the 8 largest of 65 other counties in South Dakota.

Minnehaha County
1 BR: $986/mo Pop: 197,742
Pennington County
1 BR: $1,018/mo Pop: 110,386
Lincoln County
1 BR: $986/mo Pop: 65,801
Brown County
1 BR: $708/mo Pop: 38,278
Brookings County
1 BR: $781/mo Pop: 34,631
Meade County
1 BR: $970/mo Pop: 29,970
Codington County
1 BR: $825/mo Pop: 28,402
Lawrence County
1 BR: $797/mo Pop: 26,047
View all counties in South Dakota →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in McCook County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in McCook County is $986 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,156 and a studio is $865.
How does McCook County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in McCook County is 3% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $986 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does McCook County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, McCook County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,156 ranks #1,132 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in McCook County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $39,440 ($3,287/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in McCook County.
Is rent going up or down in McCook County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in McCook County increased by 11.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $882 to $986.
Which jobs can afford rent in McCook County? ▼
Based on South Dakota BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like General and Operations Managers, Software Developers, Accountants and Auditors can afford a 1-bedroom at $986/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in McCook County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in McCook County went from $685 in FY 2020 to $986 in FY 2026, a total change of +43.9% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in McCook County? ▼
In McCook County, the FY 2026 FMR of $986/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for McCook County? ▼
For McCook County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($986/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.