South Dakota Is Becoming a Major Destination for COVID-19 Relocations

For the better part of the past six months, people from all over the globe have been trying to do everything they can to distance themselves from the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak any way they can.

For some, that even means going to the extreme of relocating to places that have fewer pandemic related restrictions in place.

Places like South Dakota.

South Dakota News Watch is reporting that Realtors in the Mount Rushmore State are seeing more and more people relocating here because of cheaper housing, a lower tax burden, and fewer COVID- 19public health mask mandates and shutdowns.

The proof is in the numbers.

The story says pending housing sales in the state are up nearly 20 percent (19.8%) since September of last year and the people coming here are willing to fork over more money to do so. The average home price is up $15,000 in the last year - a jump of more than seven percent. The increase is even bigger of more expensive homes, with prices rising nearly 70 percent on properties valued at $450,000 to $500,000.

All of that demand is leading to a huge seller's market with 30 percent fewer homes on the market in the state's two biggest cities - Sioux Falls and Rapid City - and better than 98 percent of homes in the state selling for their original price.