Buffalo County property tax
Homeowners in Buffalo County, South Dakota typically pay about 0.40% of their home's value in property tax each year — a median bill of $473 on a median home value of $117,800.
Typical effective rate
0.40%
higher than 93% of U.S. counties
Median tax paid
$473
per year
Median home value
$117,800
In SD
#65
of 66 ranked counties
At a glance
- Effective rate 0.40% — 57% lower than the U.S. median of 0.94%, and 62% lower than the South Dakota median of 1.06%.
- With vs. without a mortgage — median tax $0 for mortgaged homes, $0 for homes owned outright.
- State ranking — 65th highest effective rate of 66 ranked South Dakota counties; nationally it sits around the 7th percentile.
Estimate a bill for Buffalo County
Apply this county's typical effective rate (0.40%) to a home value of your choice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the property tax rate in Buffalo County, SD?
The typical effective property-tax rate in Buffalo County is 0.40% of a home's value per year, based on median taxes paid ($473) divided by the median home value ($117,800) in the Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates. This is a typical burden for comparison, not a statutory mill rate.
How much is property tax on a typical home in Buffalo County?
The median owner-occupied home in Buffalo County is valued at $117,800, and the median real estate tax paid is $473 per year. Homes with a mortgage have a median tax of $0, versus $0 for homes without one.
How does Buffalo County compare to the rest of South Dakota?
Buffalo County's effective rate is 62% lower than the South Dakota median, ranking 65th of 66 ranked counties in the state.
Compare nearby South Dakota counties
Counties ranked closest to Buffalo County by in-state effective rate. Open the comparison tool or see all South Dakota counties.
| In-state | County | Effective rate | Median tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | Lawrence County | 0.79% | $2,744 |
| 61 | Custer County | 0.77% | $2,879 |
| 62 | Jackson County | 0.65% | $760 |
| 63 | Faulk County | 0.62% | $916 |
| 64 | Ziebach County | 0.62% | $613 |
| 66 | Oglala Lakota County | 0.38% | $199 |
Official data & resources for Buffalo County
- Buffalo County Census profile (data.census.gov) — housing, value and tax figures for this county.
- Table B25103 for Buffalo County — median real estate taxes paid (the source for the tax figures above).
- Table B25077 for Buffalo County — median home value.
- Federal forms & is property tax deductible? — IRS Pub 530, Schedule A and the SALT cap, plus your state tax agency.
Finding your exact bill
Your county or municipal assessor (sometimes called the appraisal district, property appraiser, or tax collector) sets the assessed value and the exact millage that produces your bill. Search for "[county name] [state] assessor" or "property tax" on an official .gov site.
Figures on this page are Census survey medians for the whole county (2020–2024 5-year), not an assessment of any individual property. Rates, exemptions and assessment practices vary by municipality and school district within a county.