Living in Aberdeen, SD
Small city in South Dakota
Aberdeen is a small city in South Dakota, home to about 28,000 people, with 35,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Aberdeen a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $233k and rents for $1,170 a month
- Mild summers: highs around 80°F
- Dog-friendly: 2 dog parks within 9 mi
- Low taxes: no state income tax, 1.31% property tax
👎 Cons
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Smaller job market: about 35,000 people live within 31 mi
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Fewer graduates: 34% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Aberdeen ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Aberdeen: common questions
What is the cost of living in Aberdeen?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $233k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,170 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 89, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Aberdeen?
South Dakota has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 1.31% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Aberdeen safe?
Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.5× in FBI 2019 data).
How are the schools in Aberdeen?
Public schools in Aberdeen test above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 15 students per teacher.
What is the weather like in Aberdeen?
Aberdeen has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 24°F and summer days around 80°F, with roughly 43″ of snow a year.
Does Aberdeen get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from cold waves and flooding: 8 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 3.56 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Aberdeen?
The nearest major airport is MSP, about 258 mi away.
How Aberdeen scores
Each bar compares Aberdeen with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
Places like Aberdeen
These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.
The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).
See all the best places to live in South Dakota.
Is Aberdeen right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.