Is it cheaper to live in Aberdeen or Jacksonville?

Aberdeen, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $740 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 44% below Jacksonville, FL's $1,320, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Aberdeen than in Jacksonville?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $23,000 a year in Aberdeen versus $46,000 in Jacksonville.

Which has lower taxes, Aberdeen or Jacksonville?

Aberdeen is taxed under South Dakota's rules (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax); Jacksonville under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax).

Aberdeen vs Jacksonville Cost of Living 2026

Aberdeen

South Dakota

$740/mo est.

Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $740 in Aberdeen, SD versus $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL. Overall, Aberdeen, SD is roughly 44% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jacksonville, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $63,715 in Aberdeen, SD and $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL — about 5% higher in Jacksonville, FL. South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Aberdeen, SD

Jacksonville, FL

Rent

Studio

$529

$1,127

+113% in Jacksonville, FL

1 Bedroom

$576

$1,146

+99% in Jacksonville, FL

2 Bedroom

$824

$1,385

+68% in Jacksonville, FL

3 Bedroom

$924

$1,545

+67% in Jacksonville, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$205,500

$266,100

+29% in Jacksonville, FL

Income

Median Household Income

$63,715

$66,981

+5% in Jacksonville, FL

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$48,830

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.8 yr

36.4 yr

+0.6 yr in Jacksonville, FL

Homeownership

58.4%

57.4%

+1.0 pp in Aberdeen, SD

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.6%

31.8%

+1.8 pp in Aberdeen, SD

Avg Commute

11.1 min

24.1 min

+13.0 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

275

558.4

+103% in Jacksonville, FL

Property Crime

1,421.2

2,600.1

+83% in Jacksonville, FL

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

43.0°F

70.2°F

+27.2°F in Jacksonville, FL

Annual Precipitation

21.7 in

49.2 in

+27.5 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$3.83/gal

+1% in Aberdeen, SD

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$1.75

Adult base one-way fare — — vs JTA (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.4

15.1

+2% in Aberdeen, SD

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$15.26

$23.62

+55% in Jacksonville, FL

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Aberdeen, SD

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$1.75

+5% in Jacksonville, FL

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.21

+39% in Aberdeen, SD

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$6.45

+5% in Aberdeen, SD

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$1.90

+9% in Aberdeen, SD

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

Average prices — Midwest vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SD / FL)

4.2%

+1.8 pp in FL

Income Tax (top rate)

None

about equal

Aberdeen vs Jacksonville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Aberdeen or Jacksonville?: Aberdeen, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $740 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 44% below Jacksonville, FL's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Aberdeen than in Jacksonville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $23,000 a year in Aberdeen versus $46,000 in Jacksonville.
Which has lower taxes, Aberdeen or Jacksonville?: Aberdeen is taxed under South Dakota's rules (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax); Jacksonville under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).