Roberts County

Roberts County lands at the 82nd percentile nationally and 12th out of 50 South Dakota counties, with an overall score of 71. The median home price of $235,837 grew 10.2% year-over-year, which is the headline number that defines this market. The cash flow score is 0 and the cap rate data returns zero, which tells you directly that this is not a market where the rent covers the mortgage and then some. The appreciation score of 79 and the affordability index of 79 paint a clearer picture: Roberts is a market that rewards patience and price growth, not monthly income. Any investor underwriting this deal expecting the property to carry itself from day one is going to be disappointed.

That framing narrows the buyer profile considerably. An appreciation-oriented buyer with the balance sheet to absorb neutral or slightly negative monthly cash flow has a legitimate case here, grounded in the 10.2% year-over-year price gain and a purchase price that still sits below $240,000. A cash-flow buyer has no case the numbers support. A value-add operator could find opportunity if the gap between purchase price and rent exists and can be closed through renovation, but the zero cash-flow score suggests that gap is not easily bridged at current pricing. The stability score of 50 is exactly at the midpoint, meaning this market neither protects you from volatility nor signals distress, a fair read for a rural South Dakota county of 10,242 people where demand drivers are narrow and price swings can move on thin transaction volume.

No economic anchors or employer data were provided for Roberts County, so the rental demand picture cannot be tied to specific institutions or industries here. What the population figure of 10,242 does tell you is that this is a small, thinly traded market. Thin markets can produce outsized price gains when demand picks up, which may partially explain the 10.2% YoY appreciation, but they can also reverse quickly. Vacancy and absorption are harder to predict without a deep local employer base that draws workers consistently.

On the carry cost side, the combined monthly tax and insurance figure is $322, based on a state-average effective property tax rate of 1.28% and an insurance rate of 0.36% applied to the $235,837 purchase price. That 1.28% rate falls in the normal range, meaning it is not a tailwind but also not a line item that should alarm you. The $322 monthly figure is material when cash flow is already at or near zero, so it belongs on your underwrite in full. Keep in mind this is a state-average estimate per Tax Foundation 2024 data and actual Roberts County or township rates may differ, so verify the local millage before closing.

The concentrated risk here is structural: a population of 10,242 with no disclosed economic anchors means rental demand is thin and likely tied to agriculture or local services. If that base contracts, vacancy pressure can build without any cushion from a diversified employer mix. The stability score of 50 reflects that directly. Regulatory risk is not flagged by the data, and no vacancy or crime figures were provided, so no claims are made there.

Compared to the neighbors, Roberts at $235,837 is cheaper than McCook ($274,393), Lake ($302,351), and Davison ($241,475), and nearly identical to Brule ($232,780). Only Harding County comes in lower at $211,924. Harding also scores 72 overall, one point above Roberts, which makes it worth a direct comparison if entry price is the primary driver for you. The overall scores across all five neighbors are clustered tightly between 69 and 72, with Roberts matching McCook and Brule at 71. No neighbor shows a materially superior score, so Roberts does not give up much on overall quality relative to price, except against Harding, where you get a slightly better score at a meaningfully lower price. Choose Roberts over Harding if you believe the 10.2% appreciation trend has more runway here; choose Harding if lowest entry price and the slightly higher score matter more than chasing recent momentum. Against Lake or McCook, Roberts wins on price by a wide margin with no meaningful score penalty, which makes it the better entry point if you are buying appreciation at the lowest possible basis.