Very AffordableSafer than AverageEthan School District 17-1
Median Income
$64,063
household / year
Median Home Value
$126,300
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$775
gross / month
Cost of Living
90
national avg = 100
Is Ethan, SD a Good Place to Live?
Ethan is a small town of 269 in South Dakota, with a median household income of $64,063
.
Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is
10% below the national average.
Strengths:
Ethan stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-).
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Ethan is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Ethan 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: 89.8
Ethan's overall cost of living index is 89.8,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Ethan costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
Metric
Ethan, SD
National Avg
Median Home Value
$126,300
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$775
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
70.5%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$64,063
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Ethan's violent crime rate is 217.4 per 100,000 residents
— 43% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
217.4 /100k
Property Crime
1603.0 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Ethan is served primarily by Ethan School District 17-1.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.3:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Ethan, SD
National Avg
School District
Ethan School District 17-1
—
Elementary Schools
1
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.3:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
13.8%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
92.5%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Ethan sees average highs of 25.3°F in January
and 84.2°F in July,
with 26.4 inches of annual precipitation
and 36.3 inches of snow per year.
Ethan's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Ethan roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $126,300 and median rent is $775/month.
Ethan's violent crime rate is 217.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1603.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Ethan are operated by Ethan School District 17-1.
The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.3:1. 13.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Ethan, SD has a population of 269, a median household income of $64,063, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Ethan averages 25.3°F in January and 84.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 26.4 inches
with about 36.3 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Ethan, South Dakota is 269 with a median age of 32.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Ethan: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $126,300, median household income $64,063, crime index 65 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ethan side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.