Cost of living in Fort Thompson, South Dakota

Fort Thompson, South Dakota has about 1,147 people. That count is a 2020–2024 Census average, not a headcount from one day.

A typical home is worth about $150,000.

HUD's fair-market rent for a 2-bedroom in Buffalo County is $1,409 a month. That is the county number, not an apartment listing in Fort Thompson. It runs from October 2026 through September 2027.

South Dakota's prices sit at 88.6 when the U.S. average is 100. This place is not in a metro area with its own index, so this is the state number from BEA for 2024.

South Dakota does not tax wages. A typical combined sales tax is 6.1% as of January 1, 2026. That mix is statewide, not Fort Thompson's exact store tax.

In July 2026, a typical South Dakota home paid 15.37¢ per kilowatt-hour. That is a state average from EIA, not Fort Thompson's bill.

EIA did not publish a 2025 all-grades gas price for South Dakota in the table we use.

Among 67 places we list in South Dakota with a rent figure, 64 have higher typical rent than Fort Thompson.