1st Advantage MortgageBennett County households have a median income of $53,750 and median rent of $617 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in South Dakota before sharing details.
On this page
- Bennett County by the numbers
- Rent, home values and ownership in Bennett County
- How much Bennett County households make
- Jobs and commutes in Bennett County
- Counties near Bennett County
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Bennett County
- What a median Bennett County budget can carry
- What the numbers mean for Bennett County borrowers
- Who lives in Bennett County, in numbers
- South Dakota rules that apply in Bennett County
- Checklist for Bennett County applicants
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Bennett County by the numbers
Roughly 3,345 residents live in Bennett County, South Dakota, 45th by population among the state's 66 counties and county equivalents. It covers 1,185 square miles of land, or about 3 people per square mile. Under the July 2023 OMB definitions, Bennett County is not part of any metropolitan area. Of the 2 Census places inside Bennett County, Martin leads by population with about 947; 1 of the 2 are incorporated. Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Bennett County figure on this page as a rough guide.
Rent, home values and ownership in Bennett County
A typical Bennett County rental runs $617 a month including utilities, which is 35% below South Dakota. 29% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 22% spend half or more. With a median value of $156,400, a typical Bennett County house costs 2.9 times what the median household earns in a year. 61% of Bennett County households own their home and 39% rent. The median home was built in 1973, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Cost | Bennett County | South Dakota figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $617/mo | $946/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $156,400 | $257,400 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 61% | 69% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 29% | 40% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 38% | 23% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 9.5% | 7.2% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 20% | 11% | n/a |
How much Bennett County households make
Bennett County households have a median income of $53,750 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 61st of 66 in South Dakota.
| Yearly household income | Bennett County | Gap to South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 38.2% | +17.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.2% | -0.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 17.5% | -9.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 1.2% | -6.9 pts |
Some 38% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 19% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 29.9%, 18 points higher than the state's 11.9%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.444 here. For a borrower in Bennett County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Jobs and commutes in Bennett County
Education and health care employs 35% of working residents, the largest share; retail trade is next with 16%. Compared with South Dakota, the county leans toward agriculture, forestry and mining (16% against 6%). Averaged over the five survey years, 10.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are the exception here: 9% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 1.5% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Top industries | Bennett County share | +/- vs South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 34.6% | +9.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 16.0% | +4.5 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 16.0% | +9.7 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 10.5% | +2.1 pts |
| Construction | 6.3% | -1.4 pts |
| Public administration | 5.2% | +0.3 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Counties near Bennett County
Distances run center to center, from Jackson County at 34 miles out to Sheridan County at 58. Cherry County leads the group on income ($66,270), Jackson County trails ($35,417), and Bennett County out-earns 3 of the six. The list crosses into Nebraska, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bennett County | - | $53,750 | $617/mo | 61% |
| Jackson County, SD | 34 mi | $35,417 | $442/mo | 67% |
| Oglala Lakota County, SD | 46 mi | $41,417 | $584/mo | 51% |
| Todd County, SD | 49 mi | $42,075 | $532/mo | 46% |
| Cherry County, NE | 53 mi | $66,270 | $916/mo | 61% |
| Mellette County, SD | 54 mi | $54,076 | $708/mo | 60% |
| Sheridan County, NE | 58 mi | $60,121 | $738/mo | 74% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Bennett County
Here are the 2 most populous of the county's 2 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 52% of Bennett County residents live in one of the 2. No Bennett County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 2.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin | city | 947 | $54,063 | $638 | 3 mi |
| Allen | CDP | 783 | n/a | $635 | 14 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
What a median Bennett County budget can carry
How much room does a median Bennett County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Start: $4,479 gross per month ($53,750 / 12)
- Less median rent of $617, which is 14% of it
- $1,309: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid
If your rent is above $617, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
What the numbers mean for Bennett County borrowers
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Bennett County borrowers.
- Health costs. With 28% of the county uninsured, an interest-free hospital payment plan usually beats a loan (medical bills).
- Lower-cost alternatives. In a county with 30% in poverty, nonprofit credit counseling may beat a loan (options).
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
Who lives in Bennett County, in numbers
18% of Bennett County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 27.7%, against 9.0% for South Dakota.
| People and households | Bennett County | South Dakota | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 27.4 | 38.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 18.3% | 31.9% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 13.7% | 6.8% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 27.7% | 9.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 1.5% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 8.0% | 9.7% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 29.9% | 11.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 10.0% | 2.9% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 75.2% |
| 15 to 29 min | 13.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 2.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.3% |
| 60+ min | 3.4% |
South Dakota rules that apply in Bennett County
Bennett County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the South Dakota Division of Banking. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. See the South Dakota state guide for the statewide picture.
Checklist for Bennett County applicants
Quick steps for Bennett County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Nearby and statewide guides
The South Dakota guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Bennett County earn?
The median is $53,750; 19% earn $100,000 or more and 38% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does Bennett County rent compare with South Dakota?
$617 locally versus $946 for the state, 35% below.
I live in a small Bennett County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Martin, Allen.
Will a Bennett County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming South Dakota as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Where can someone in Bennett County check a lender's license?
With the South Dakota Division of Banking. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.