Is Brandon, SD a Good Place to Live?
Brandon is a small city of 10,919 in South Dakota, with a median household income of $101,747 and a 1.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is 10% below the national average.
Strengths: Brandon stands out for an affordable cost of living, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Brandon is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Brandon city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 90.3Brandon's overall cost of living index is 90.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Brandon costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Brandon, SD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $304,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $972 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $101,747 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeBrandon's violent crime rate is 73.2 per 100,000 residents — 81% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Brandon is served primarily by Brandon Valley School District 49-2. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.6:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Brandon, SD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Brandon Valley School District 49-2 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 2 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 17.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.1% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 97.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Brandon sees average highs of 27.2°F in January and 85.3°F in July, with 31.0 inches of annual precipitation and 49.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Brandon, SD |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 27.2°F |
| Average High — July | 85.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | Brandon, SD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,919 | — |
| Median Age | 38.2 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 1.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 21.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 93.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 3.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 29.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 11.7% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Brandon
Brandon, SD is covered by 1 ZIP code: