Aberdeen, SD — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·South Dakota·Aberdeen

Brown County · Aberdeen · population 27,919

First-time buyersShrinking
Aberdeen, SD
Image: Wikipedia · Aberdeen, South Dakota
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
70
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Aberdeen stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 7.8% in the last year. population shrinking 0.5% per year.

Median home $242,197
1-year +7.8%
5-yr CAGR +5.2%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.5%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$242k$136k$175k$213k$252k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
80/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 21.5
Lean rent

At a 21.5 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Aberdeen. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
85 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
66 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
37 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
62 · w10%
Long thesis

Aberdeen has held up across the cycle: home values at $242,197 with +5.2% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Aberdeen's population is shrinking 0.5% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — if people are leaving, the buyer pool is shrinking faster than the inventory. That eventually shows up in price.

About Aberdeen

Aberdeen is a city in Brown County, South Dakota, with an estimated population of 27,919. The population has contracted 0.5% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Aberdeen is $242,197 as of 2026-04, up 7.8% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.2% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Aberdeen average $940 per month. The composite momentum score is 70 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Trend still working: prices up 7.8% in the last 12 months — buyers are still chasing inventory.
●Affordable AND rising: median home $242,197 with positive recent direction — rare combination most of the country can’t offer.
●Healthy 5-year run: +5.2% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

●Flat or shrinking population: -0.5% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Aberdeen (Wikipedia)

Aberdeen is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 28,495 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 27,919 in 2024, making it the third-most populous city in the state. Aberdeen is home of Northern State University.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Brown County right now.

NWS active alerts (SD)South Dakota Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Brown County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Aberdeen

Pierre, SD70 · RisingHuron, SD69 · RisingBrookings, SD73 · RisingVermillion, SD73 · Rising

Run the numbers for Aberdeen

ToolCan I afford Aberdeen?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Aberdeen rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Aberdeen to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolAberdeen cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
27° / 8°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
86° / 60°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
218
~60% of year
Annual precip
23″ rain
38″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Low

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Aberdeen listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Aberdeen area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
67%
Moderate climate
Median household income
$69,500
South Dakota state median
Top industries (state-level)
HealthcareAgricultureFinance

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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