County FMR · HUD FY2026
Pennington County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Pennington County, SD - 6% above the US average.
- $1,018
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,336
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +18.9%
- YoY change
- +6%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Pennington is the 1st most expensive of 66 counties in South Dakota by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #692 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 18.9% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #692
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #1
- most expensive of 66 in South Dakota (2BR)
- +30%
- vs the state average
- $40,720
- income to afford it (30% rule)
General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.2%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (45.2%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Pennington County, SD. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Pennington County, South Dakota is $1,018 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,336/mo and a studio is $921/mo. This is 6% higher than the national average of $959 and 30% above the South Dakota average of $784.
Rent increased18.9% from FY 2025 ($856), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $40,720/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 44.4% of the 14,130 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 4.7%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 2.0% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in South Dakota. Population: 110,386. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.6%, Census ACS). That's in line with South Dakota's statewide growth of +4.0% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area PENNINGTON·COUNTY·SD·SD
Pennington County, SD: $1,018/mo 1BR · #692 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA SD
- 1BR-FMR $1,018
- 2BR-FMR $1,336
- RANK-MID #692
- YOY-SURGE +18.9%
- VSUS-NEAR +6%
- VS-ST-HIGH +30% SD
- INC-ROOM 17%
- POP-MID 110K
- PHOTO-NEAR Minnehaha County
- VOUCH-90-110 $916–$1,120
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Minnehaha ($32 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $767 | $921 | +$154 (+20.1%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $856 | $1,018 | +$162 (+18.9%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,119 | $1,336 | +$217 (+19.4%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,490 | $1,743 | +$253 (+17.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,777 | $2,178 | +$401 (+22.6%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Pennington County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
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.
Where Pennington sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,336 Top 22% higher than 78% of 3,145 counties
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 Pennington compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other South Dakota counties
- Pennington
Pennington County
$1,018 1BR FMR / mo
- Minnehaha
Minnehaha County
$986 1BR FMR / mo
- Lincoln
Lincoln County
$986 1BR FMR / mo
- Meade
Meade County
$970 1BR FMR / mo
- Codington
Codington County
$825 1BR FMR / mo
- Brookings
Brookings County
$781 1BR FMR / mo
- Brown
Brown County
$708 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Pennington is highlighted. Nearby South Dakota counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Pennington County (this county) ($1,018), Minnehaha County ($986), Lincoln County ($986), Meade County ($970), Codington County ($825), Brookings County ($781), Brown County ($708).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $1,018/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 | 9.2% | Affordable |
| Software Developers | $87,770 | 13.9% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $77,310 | 15.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $69,510 | 17.6% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $60,300 | 20.3% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $58,550 | 20.9% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $57,300 | 21.3% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $56,880 | 21.5% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $49,110 | 24.9% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $43,760 | 27.9% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,760 | 30.7% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,260 | 35.7% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $33,940 | 36% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,480 | 41.4% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,020 | 45.2% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Pennington County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Pennington (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 59.3% overall, from $639 to $1,018. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +18.9% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑18.9% | $921 | $1,018 | $1,336 |
| FY 2025 ↓3.4% | $767 | $856 | $1,119 |
| FY 2024 ↑17.2% | $788 | $886 | $1,163 |
| FY 2023 ↑8.8% | $665 | $756 | $995 |
| FY 2022 ↑4.7% | $608 | $695 | $915 |
| FY 2021 ↑3.9% | $577 | $664 | $875 |
| FY 2020 | $549 | $639 | $841 |
Part of the Rapid City, SD Metro Area
Pennington County is a central county of the Rapid City, SD metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.
Pennington County ranks #1 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Pennington County (this county) ($1,018), Meade County ($970), Custer County ($894).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Pennington 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).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside SD).
Nearby Counties in South Dakota
Largest counties by population in South Dakota
Showing the 8 largest of 65 other counties in South Dakota.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Pennington County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Pennington County is $1,018 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,336 and a studio is $921.
How does Pennington County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Pennington County is 6% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,018 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Pennington County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Pennington County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,336 ranks #692 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Pennington County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $40,720 ($3,393/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Pennington County.
Is rent going up or down in Pennington County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Pennington County increased by 18.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $856 to $1,018.
Which jobs can afford rent in Pennington 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 $1,018/mo. 10 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Pennington County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Pennington County went from $639 in FY 2020 to $1,018 in FY 2026, a total change of +59.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Pennington County?
In Pennington County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,018/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 Pennington County?
For Pennington County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,018/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Pennington County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 4.7%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Pennington County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 2.0% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Pennington's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,018 implies about $40,720/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- South Dakota counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Minnehaha
- See where Pennington ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.