Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Aurora, South Dakota
A $219,000 home here costs
$1,928per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $82,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,194. The real number is $734 higher every month, 61% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Brookings County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Aurora from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,407 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Brookings County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Aurora against Brookings County and South Dakota
| Measure | Aurora | Brookings County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $219,100 | $246,300 |
| Median property tax | $2,789 | $2,795 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.273% | 1.135% |
| Median gross rent | $829 | $874 |
| Population | 1,407 | 34,968 |
The weather behind that power bill
Aurora sits in Brookings County, which averages a high of 81.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 3.5°F in its coldest, with 25.21" of precipitation a year and 45% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 524 cooling and 8,378 heating degree days, which is what sets the $151 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Brookings County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Brookings County
Full Brookings County cost breakdown · Every county in South Dakota
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Aurora averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Aurora every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Aurora I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Aurora?
A $219,000 home in Aurora, South Dakota costs approximately $1,928 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,194 principal and interest, $232 property tax, $100 homeowners insurance, $219 utilities and $183 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Aurora?
Aurora has an effective property tax rate of 1.273%, based on a median home value of $219,100 and median real estate taxes of $2,789. That is higher than the Brookings County average of 1.135%.
What is the average home price in Aurora?
The median owner-occupied home value in Aurora, South Dakota is $219,100, against $246,300 across Brookings County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Aurora?
Median gross rent in Aurora is $829 a month, against $1,928 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Aurora?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Aurora, South Dakota at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $82,500 a year. That covers the full $1,928 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Aurora, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for South Dakota.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.