Can A Retail Salesperson Afford Rent in Tea, SD?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 46.2% of gross income.

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

Tea median rent
$1,257/mo
Retail Salesperson salary (South Dakota)
$32,622/yr
Rent as % of income
46.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $2,719, and the 30% rule supports up to $816/mo in rent. Tea's median rent of $1,257 exceeds that threshold by $441/mo, putting a retail salesperson salary into the rent-burdened range here. A retail salesperson works roughly 80.1 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a retail salesperson salary

Retail pay sits below the rent threshold needed for solo apartment living in most US metros, which is the central tension behind the widely studied retail-housing affordability gap. At the national-average retail salary, the 30% rule supports about $927 a month in rent — below the median one-bedroom rent in nearly every metro tracked here. The per-city pages show which markets are least out of reach.

Cheaper rent nearby

These South Dakota cities have lower median rent than Tea, which improves the affordability math on a retail salesperson salary:

Rapid City, SD
$1,256/mo (46.2% of income)
Vermillion, SD
$1,250/mo (46% of income)
Sioux Falls, SD
$1,247/mo (45.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Tea

View full rent data for Tea, SD

Frequently asked questions

Can a retail salesperson afford rent in Tea, SD?

Median rent in Tea is $1,257 a month. A typical retail salesperson in South Dakota earns about $32,622 a year, which makes that rent 46.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a retail salesperson afford in Tea?

Using the 30% rule, a retail salesperson salary in South Dakota (~$32,622/yr) supports up to $816 a month in rent. Tea's current median rent is $1,257/mo, which is $441/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a retail salesperson work to cover rent in Tea?

At an hourly equivalent of about $16 an hour, a retail salesperson in South Dakota works roughly 80.1 hours a month to cover Tea's median rent of $1,257.

Where is rent cheaper than Tea for a retail salesperson?

Nearby South Dakota cities with lower median rent include Rapid City ($1,256/mo), Vermillion ($1,250/mo), Sioux Falls ($1,247/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a retail salesperson salary.

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