Keystone South Dakota business district 3-3-2012 · TravelingOtter / CC BY 2.0Dean Franklin - 06.04.03 Mount Rushmore Monument (by-sa)-2 new · Dean Franklin Dean_Franklin_-_06.04.03_Mount_Rushmore_Monument_(by-sa)-2.jpg: *Dean_Franklin_-_06.04.03_Mount_Rushmore_Monument_(by-sa).jpg: Dean Franklin Dean_Franklin_-_06.04.03_Mount_Rushmore_Monument_(by-sa)_-_original.jpg: Dean Franklin derivative work: Cowtowner (talk) derivative work: Cowtowner (talk) / CC BY 2.0National Presidential Wax Museum · Jllm06 / CC0BHC RR in 2001 · James G. Howes, aka JGHowes at en.wikipedia / Attribution
Keystone is a small town of 385 in South Dakota, with a median household income of $58,646
and a 8.1% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is
10% below the national average.
Strengths:
Keystone stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Keystone is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Keystone 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: 90.3
Keystone's overall cost of living index is 90.3,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Keystone costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
Metric
Keystone, SD
National Avg
Median Home Value
$161,700
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$500
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
65.2%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$58,646
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Higher than Average
Keystone's violent crime rate is 656.6 per 100,000 residents
— 73% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
656.6 /100k
Property Crime
3129.0 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Keystone, SD
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
16.5%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
85.6%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Keystone sees average highs of 36.8°F in January
and 78.7°F in July,
with 24.1 inches of annual precipitation
and 59.3 inches of snow per year.
Keystone's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Keystone roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $161,700 and median rent is $500/month.
Keystone's violent crime rate is 656.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3129.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Keystone, SD has a population of 385, a median household income of $58,646, and an unemployment rate of 8.1%.
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.
Keystone averages 36.8°F in January and 78.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 24.1 inches
with about 59.3 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Keystone, SD is covered by 1 ZIP code: 57751.
The population of Keystone, South Dakota is 385 with a median age of 37.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Keystone: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $161,700, median household income $58,646, crime index 163 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Keystone side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
-2_new.jpg)
