Baldwin City, KS vs Belle Fourche, SD: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Belle Fourche, SD has a modeled overall cost index 16.0% lower than Baldwin City, KS.

Baldwin City, KS · modeled 2BR rent: $1,030 / month
Belle Fourche, SD · modeled 2BR rent: $1,090 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓

Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Baldwin City, KS and Belle Fourche, SD using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Baldwin City, KS

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $849/month in Belle Fourche, SD

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $139,809 in Belle Fourche, SD

Regional cost estimates: Baldwin City, KS uses Kansas City, MO. Belle Fourche, SD uses Denver, CO. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 16.0%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$849

Savings

Annual Impact

$10.2K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Baldwin City, KS

Population:5K

Cost Index:

81.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$347K

Belle Fourche, SD

Population:6K

Cost Index:

68.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$339K

Planning the move to Belle Fourche?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

Baldwin City, KS

The Sunflower State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Kansas, this city has a population of 5K residents.

Belle Fourche, SD

The Mount Rushmore State

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in South Dakota, this city has a population of 6K residents.

💡 Advantage: South Dakota has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Baldwin City, KS vs Belle Fourche, SD

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Baldwin City, KS	Belle Fourche, SD	Difference	Change
Other	$1,743/mo	$1,322/mo	↓ $420less	24.1%
Transportation	$1,318/mo	$1,089/mo	↓ $229less	17.4%
Housing	$2,054/mo	$2,179/mo	↑ $124more	6.1%
All Utilities	$610/mo	$490/mo	↓ $120less	19.6%
Groceries	$1,082/mo	$973/mo	↓ $109less	10.1%
Healthcare	$692/mo	$597/mo	↓ $94.93less	13.7%

Other

↓ 24.1%

Baldwin City, KS

$1,743

Belle Fourche, SD

$1,322

Difference

$420

less

Transportation

↓ 17.4%

Baldwin City, KS

$1,318

Belle Fourche, SD

$1,089

Difference

$229

less

Housing

↑ 6.1%

Baldwin City, KS

$2,054

Belle Fourche, SD

$2,179

Difference

$124

All Utilities

↓ 19.6%

Baldwin City, KS

$610

Belle Fourche, SD

$490

Difference

$120

less

Groceries

↓ 10.1%

Baldwin City, KS

$1,082

Belle Fourche, SD

$973

Difference

$109

less

Healthcare

↓ 13.7%

Baldwin City, KS

$692

Belle Fourche, SD

$597

Difference

$94.93

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$770

To$800

↑ $30.00

1 Bed

From$860

To$900

↑ $40.00

2 Bed

From$1,030

To$1,090

↑ $60.00

3 Bed

From$1,440

To$1,310

↓ $130

Baldwin City, KSZIP-level data

1BR range: $860–$860/mo

Belle Fourche, SDZIP-level data

1BR range: $900–$900/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Baldwin City, KS

$6,651

Monthly in Belle Fourche, SD

$849

Difference

Home Values

Baldwin City

Belle Fourche

$347K

Median Value

$339K

↑ +1.3%

YoY Change

↑ +0.8%

↑ +39.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +19.8%

Homes in Belle Fourche are 2% less expensive than Baldwin City

Calculate payment - Baldwin City Calculate payment - Belle Fourche

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $8.4K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$702

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

5.6%

Rate difference

Baldwin City, KS

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Kansas State Tax

Effective: 5.6%

$8.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.3%

$45.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,714/month

$104.6K

Belle Fourche, SD

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

South Dakota State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Baldwin City, KS Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.7%

Property Tax:1.3%

Belle Fourche, SD Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.4%

Property Tax:1.3%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Baldwin City

Belle Fourche

46 Good

Air Quality

55 Moderate

59.3%

Good Air Days

35.2%

97 High

Climate Risk

95 High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌪💨

▲+3.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

44 days

Heat Days >95°F

28 days

▲+3.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

44 days

Heat Days >95°F

28 days

Before moving from Baldwin City, KS to Belle Fourche, SD

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Belle Fourche, SD for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Baldwin City, KS. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Baldwin City to Belle Fourche moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Belle Fourche, SD by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Baldwin City, KS vs Belle Fourche, SD

How do the cost estimates for Baldwin City, KS and Belle Fourche, SD compare?

Belle Fourche, SD has a modeled overall cost index 16.0% lower than Baldwin City, KS. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Baldwin City, KS, the model estimates $139,809 in Belle Fourche, SD. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Baldwin City, KS and Belle Fourche, SD?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,030/month in Baldwin City, KS and $1,090/month in Belle Fourche, SD. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Kansas and South Dakota on TaxTakeHome.com

Want to compare different cities?

New Comparison