Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Miller, South Dakota
A $135,000 home here costs
$1,231per 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 $52,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $736. The real number is $495 higher every month, 67% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Hand County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Miller from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,346 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 Hand 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.
Miller against Hand County and South Dakota
| Measure | Miller | Hand County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $135,100 | $152,100 |
| Median property tax | $1,221 | $1,373 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.904% | 0.903% |
| Median gross rent | $546 | $553 |
| Population | 1,346 | 3,045 |
The weather behind that power bill
Miller sits in Hand County, which averages a high of 84.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 7.0°F in its coldest, with 22.32" of precipitation a year and 47% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 653 cooling and 7,840 heating degree days, which is what sets the $151 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Hand County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Hand County
No other places of this size are published in Hand County.
Full Hand County cost breakdown · Every county in South Dakota
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Miller 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 Miller every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Miller I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Miller?
A $135,000 home in Miller, South Dakota costs approximately $1,231 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $736 principal and interest, $102 property tax, $62 homeowners insurance, $219 utilities and $113 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Miller?
Miller has an effective property tax rate of 0.904%, based on a median home value of $135,100 and median real estate taxes of $1,221. That is in line with the Hand County average of 0.903%.
What is the average home price in Miller?
The median owner-occupied home value in Miller, South Dakota is $135,100, against $152,100 across Hand County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Miller?
Median gross rent in Miller is $546 a month, against $1,231 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 Miller?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Miller, South Dakota at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $52,500 a year. That covers the full $1,231 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Miller, 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.