Is $50,000 a good salary in South Dakota?
Percentile, take-home pay, rent burden, and comparable jobs for South Dakota - the full picture, not just a number.
$50,000 in South Dakota is a below-median household income - the 31st percentile of South Dakota households in the Census ACS 2024 distribution (31st nationally). A single filer keeps about $42,214 after federal, South Dakota state, and FICA taxes - roughly $3,518/mo at a 16% effective rate. Statewide median rent takes 22% of gross, inside the affordable band.
South Dakota household income distribution (ACS 2024)
South Dakota's own published cut-points - where $50,000 sits is highlighted. These are the actual Census quintile thresholds for South Dakota, not the national distribution rescaled.
| Percentile | Band | Household income |
|---|---|---|
| 20th percentile | Bottom 20% | $35,929✓ passed |
| 40th percentile | Lower-middle | $61,620 |
| 50th percentile (median) | Median household | $76,881 |
| 60th percentile | Upper-middle | $91,855 |
| 80th percentile | Top 20% starts | $140,442 |
| 95th percentile (top 5%) | Top 5% starts | $246,023 |
$50,000 clears the 20th percentile threshold in South Dakota - placing it at the 31st percentile of state households.
Take-home pay on $50,000 in South Dakota
| Gross income | $50,000 |
| Federal income tax | −$3,962 |
| South Dakota state income tax (none) | −$0 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$3,100 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | −$725 |
| Take-home (net) | $42,214 |
That's about $3,518/month net, an effective tax rate of 15.6%. South Dakota's average combined sales tax is 6.41%, charged on taxable spending out of that net - a consumption cost on top of the income tax above.
Single filer, 2025 federal brackets + standard deduction. State tax uses South Dakota's top/flat marginal rate, so in progressive-bracket states (e.g. California, New York) the state line is an upper bound and your actual net is likely a little higher. Married-filing-jointly and pre-tax 401(k)/health deductions also change the result. Estimate only - South Dakota take-home detail →
Occupations near $50,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $50,000 - gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail salesperson | senior | $50,000 |
| Accountant | entry-level | $53,000 |
| Police officer | entry-level | $47,000 |
| Construction laborer | mid-career | $46,500 |
| High school teacher | entry-level | $46,000 |
| Elementary teacher | entry-level | $46,000 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. National medians; metro/state variance can be ±30%. Career stage estimates: entry ≈ 25th pct, senior ≈ 75th pct of the same SOC code.
Single earner vs two-earner household
One earner pulling $50,000 typically means a retail salesperson or comparable role. Above-median earner status in South Dakota.
Two earners at $25,000 each combined = $50,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $50,000 earner.
Lifestyle context - rent burden in South Dakota
At $50,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 22% of income - inside the affordable band. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $50,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $50,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $134,906. South Dakota median home value is $232,000 - you can afford 58% of the median home, so buying requires lower-priced markets, a larger down payment, or co-buying.
How $50,000 ranks in neighboring states
State-adjusted percentile shows the same income placed in South Dakota's contiguous neighbors. Relevant for relocation, remote-work geography, or border-town decisions.
| State | Median HH | % vs median | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota (current) | $76,881 | -35% | 31st |
| Wyoming | $75,532 | -34% | 33rd |
| Montana | $75,340 | -34% | 32nd |
| Iowa | $75,501 | -34% | 32nd |
| Nebraska | $76,376 | -35% | 32nd |
| North Dakota | $77,871 | -36% | 31st |
| Minnesota | $87,117 | -43% | 27th |
$50,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in South Dakota
Common questions
- Is $50,000 a good household income in South Dakota?
- It sits at roughly the 31st percentile of South Dakota households in the state's own Census ACS 2024 income distribution (South Dakota median $76,881). Nationally that's about the 31st percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living - state figures smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $50,000 compare to the South Dakota median?
- It's 35% below the South Dakota median household income of $76,881 (Census ACS 2024, table B19013). Half of South Dakota households earn less than $76,881, half earn more.
- Why does this number differ from other percentile calculators?
- Two sources of variation: (1) some calculators use individual income, not household - household income is typically higher because it combines earners. (2) Many rescale one national curve by a state median; we instead read the percentile directly from South Dakota's own published ACS 2024 B19080 quintile cut-points, so the state ranking reflects that state's actual income spread. Incomes above the 95th-percentile cut-point show as "top 5%+" because the Census top-codes that threshold.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.
Estimate only - not financial advice. Percentiles are interpolated from US Census Bureau ACS household income distribution tables and describe where an income falls nationally - they are not a judgment of what you should earn or financial advice. Cost of living varies widely by state and metro.
Reviewed by R. Bennett, Editor · editorial policy