Cost to Own
United StatesSouth DakotaClay CountyVermillion Population 11,800 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Vermillion, South Dakota

A $210,000 home here costs

$1,831

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,080. The real number is $752 higher every month — 70% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Vermillion median: $210,200
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, $168,000 borrowed $1,080
Property tax1.549% effective rate for Vermillion itself $271
Homeowners insuranceSouth Dakota averages $1,270/yr (NAIC), or 0.55% of home value $96
Electricity15.73¢/kWh — South Dakota residential average, EIA $141
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $175
Total monthly $1,831

Vermillion against Clay County and South Dakota

MeasureVermillionClay County
Median home value$210,200$221,800
Median property tax$3,256$2,879
Effective tax rate1.549%1.298%
Median gross rent$728$736
Population11,80015,133

The weather behind that power bill

Vermillion sits in Clay County, which averages a high of 84.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 6.8°F in its coldest, with 26.88" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 745 cooling and 7,492 heating degree days, which is what sets the $141 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Clay County

No other places of this size are published in Clay County.

Full Clay County cost breakdown · Every county in South Dakota

Common questions

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

A $210,000 home in Vermillion, South Dakota costs approximately $1,831 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,080 principal and interest, $271 property tax, $96 homeowners insurance, $209 utilities and $175 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Vermillion?

Vermillion has an effective property tax rate of 1.549%, based on a median home value of $210,200 and median real estate taxes of $3,256. That is higher than the Clay County average of 1.298%.

What is the average home price in Vermillion?

The median owner-occupied home value in Vermillion, South Dakota is $210,200, against $221,800 across Clay County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Vermillion?

Median gross rent in Vermillion is $728 a month, against $1,831 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 Vermillion — 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