Cost to Own
United StatesSouth DakotaLawrence CountySpearfish Population 12,551 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Spearfish, South Dakota

A $309,000 home here costs

$2,458

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,589. The real number is $869 higher every month — 55% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Spearfish median: $309,200
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $247,200 borrowed $1,589
Property tax1.013% effective rate for Spearfish itself $261
Homeowners insuranceSouth Dakota averages $1,270/yr (NAIC), or 0.55% of home value $142
Electricity15.73¢/kWh — South Dakota residential average, EIA $141
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $258
Total monthly $2,458

Spearfish against Lawrence County and South Dakota

MeasureSpearfishLawrence County
Median home value$309,200$310,800
Median property tax$3,132$2,671
Effective tax rate1.013%0.859%
Median gross rent$941$923
Population12,55126,574

The weather behind that power bill

Spearfish sits in Lawrence County, which averages a high of 81.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 17.6°F in its coldest, with 31.79" of precipitation a year and 39% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 425 cooling and 7,206 heating degree days, which is what sets the $141 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Lawrence County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Lawrence County

Full Lawrence County cost breakdown · Every county in South Dakota

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Spearfish?

A $309,000 home in Spearfish, South Dakota costs approximately $2,458 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,589 principal and interest, $261 property tax, $142 homeowners insurance, $209 utilities and $258 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Spearfish?

Spearfish has an effective property tax rate of 1.013%, based on a median home value of $309,200 and median real estate taxes of $3,132. That is higher than the Lawrence County average of 0.859%.

What is the average home price in Spearfish?

The median owner-occupied home value in Spearfish, South Dakota is $309,200, against $310,800 across Lawrence County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Spearfish?

Median gross rent in Spearfish is $941 a month, against $2,458 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Spearfish — 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.

Full methodology