Can A Bartender Afford Rent in Sioux Falls, SD?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 51.5% of gross income.

Sioux Falls rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (South Dakota state estimate).

Sioux Falls median rent
$1,327/mo
Bartender salary (South Dakota)
$30,914/yr
Rent as % of income
51.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,576, and the 30% rule supports up to $773/mo in rent. Sioux Falls's median rent of $1,327 exceeds that threshold by $554/mo, putting a bartender salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bartender works roughly 89.3 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a bartender salary

Declared bartender pay sits below the rent threshold for a one-bedroom in most US cities. Actual tip income in high-volume bars and fine-dining can push real take-home substantially higher. At the national-average declared bartender salary, the 30% rule supports about $878 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These South Dakota cities have lower median rent than Sioux Falls, which improves the affordability math on a bartender salary:

Brookings, SD
$1,317/mo (51.1% of income)
Box Elder, SD
$1,313/mo (51% of income)
Tea, SD
$1,309/mo (50.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Sioux Falls

View full rent data for Sioux Falls, SD

Frequently asked questions

Can a bartender afford rent in Sioux Falls, SD?

Median rent in Sioux Falls is $1,327 a month. A typical bartender in South Dakota earns about $30,914 a year, which makes that rent 51.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a bartender afford in Sioux Falls?

Using the 30% rule, a bartender salary in South Dakota (~$30,914/yr) supports up to $773 a month in rent. Sioux Falls's current median rent is $1,327/mo, which is $554/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a bartender work to cover rent in Sioux Falls?

At an hourly equivalent of about $15 an hour, a bartender in South Dakota works roughly 89.3 hours a month to cover Sioux Falls's median rent of $1,327.

Where is rent cheaper than Sioux Falls for a bartender?

Nearby South Dakota cities with lower median rent include Brookings ($1,317/mo), Box Elder ($1,313/mo), Tea ($1,309/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bartender salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived South Dakota state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Sioux Falls, SD. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.