Frederick, SD 2025 Housing Study
Executive Summary
As Frederick looks to the future, PorchLight conducted an assessment of the upcoming housing needs of the community.
To conduct this assessment, Porchlight analyzed existing data, gathered local statistics, conducted a visual inspection of housing structures in town, and collected input through interviews and a community-wide survey. This report analyzes the period from 2023-2033.
Key Takeaways:
- Although exact numbers are disputed (see Appendix A), Frederick’s population declined from 2013 to 2023 and is projected to continue declining through 2033.
- Almost 40 percent of all single dwelling units in Frederick are in need of some type of repair. 22 units require minor repairs, 18 units require major repairs, and 5 units are dilapidated.
- There are 12 vacant units in Frederick, 9 of which are uninhabitable (according to a local community member).
- Less than 10 percent of all single dwelling units in Frederick are rentals. There is 0 percent vacancy for rental units in Frederick. Interviews with community members and the fact that the apartment units have a consistent waiting list suggests that there is more demand for rentals than are currently available.
- The school’s enrollment is holding steady, but less than 10 percent of Frederick’s students live within Frederick city limits. While there are currently 3 structures for sale in Frederick, only one of them has more than 2 bedrooms, suggesting that Frederick is lacking housing suitable for families.
Based on our research and analysis, we recommend the following:
1. Frederick should pursue stronger measures around code enforcement and property upkeep.
2. Frederick should work to remove dilapidated homes from the community, with a focus on infill and improvement over expansion.
3. Frederick should pursue small-scale rental development to meet current demand without overbuilding. Future needs should be carefully evaluated before new units are built.
4. Before building single-family housing units, Frederick must ensure that there is demand for them while prioritizing affordability and suitability for families.
5. Frederick should prioritize supporting local businesses and community amenities to make the town welcoming for residents.
Visit the Recommendations section for more detail.
Read on through the rest of the report for our recommendations, a detailed housing needs analysis, and an appendix full of detail and additional analysis.
Table of Contents
D. Supply vs. Demand Housing Analysis Data
Recommendations
Based upon the analysis and research contained in this report, we provide the following recommendations for Frederick, SD.
1. Frederick should pursue stronger measures around code enforcement and property upkeep. Almost 40 percent of all single dwelling units in Frederick are in need of some type of repair. Beyond houses themselves, there are a number of outbuildings in need of repair and cluttered yards around town. Based on conversations in the community, improving the overall appearance of town through proper code enforcement is a high priority. Because new housing stock is expensive to build, maintaining existing stock is preferable. Doing so keeps housing stock around for future buyers and maintains affordability. Applying for grants to assist with the cost of property upkeep may prove useful.
2. Frederick should work to remove dilapidated homes from the community, with a focus on infill and improvement over expansion. During the visual inspection, PorchLight counted 5 dilapidated homes. According to a community member, 9 of the 12 vacant houses in Frederick are uninhabitable. Although removing dilapidated homes is costly, doing so would improve the appearance of town and free up space for new housing units. Mold, rotted flooring, and other health and safety issues that arise with dilapidated housing can be dangerous for community members. Applying for grants to assist with the cost of managing dilapidated homes may prove useful.
3. Frederick should pursue small-scale rental development to meet current demand without overbuilding. Future needs should be carefully evaluated before new units are built. The vacancy rate of rentals in Frederick is 0%. Generally, a vacancy rate of 5-8% is recommended for rentals. A community that has no available rentals might have people who wish to rent in town, but cannot due to lack of availability. The apartment units in Frederick have a consistent waiting list (on average, four people per year), suggesting that there is unmet demand for rentals in Frederick.
Future needs must be carefully evaluated before new units are built because as Frederick’s population decreases, we expect demand for rentals to decrease over the ten-year period of this report, too. So while Frederick currently has a shortage of rental housing, we anticipate this may not be the case by 2033. However, there is a real need for rental housing in Frederick today, and filling specific needs with targeted projects could be beneficial and perhaps even help to retain renters and stem population loss.
4. Before building single-family housing units, Frederick must ensure that there is demand for them while prioritizing affordability and suitability for families. In the community survey, affordability was rated the top priority for potential buyers/renters. Part of the appeal of a community like Frederick is an affordable cost-of-living, and if housing costs are too high, Frederick may not be as attractive for potential residents. The most preferred housing cost ranges from survey respondents were between $700 and $1300 per month.
Of the survey respondents who were considering moving to Frederick in the next 10 years, single-family homes were the most preferred type of housing. There are currently two (2) single-family homes for sale in Frederick, suggesting that building single-family units is not an immediate priority. If it does become a priority, Frederick should ensure that new structures are built large enough to serve family needs. Based on community input, there is a lack of interest in the structures currently for sale because they are too small, suggesting that the available housing supply is mismatched with current housing needs. Spec homes (like the one sold in Frederick in 2020) might be a favorable option because they can be built large enough to serve family needs without being overly costly.
5. Frederick should prioritize supporting local businesses and community amenities to make the town welcoming for residents. With limited businesses in town, it is vital that Frederick works to keep existing ones alive. Services like a grocery store or post office help elderly residents stay in town and make the community more livable. Based on community input, residents prioritize access to basic services when choosing where to live. Without them, housing becomes less attractive, and once businesses close, they are extremely difficult to revive. Supporting local businesses and maintaining community character is key to making Frederick a place where people want, and are able, to live.
Limitation of Census Data in Rural Communities
PorchLight’s housing model uses the United States Census American Community Survey (ACS) to analyze population and housing trends in rural communities. The data is granular and vital for predicting future trends, but it is also imperfect. Year-by-year data is based on sampling over a 5-year period, and margins of errors are high in rural communities. For Frederick, the margin of error is roughly ±50 for population data and ±20 for housing data.
Reproducing or finding this level of data would be nearly impossible without the ACS, so its limitations are worth it for the data it can provide. PorchLight works to collect additional data in the communities we work to ensure this data aligns with the reality on the ground.
To account for the high margins of error within Frederick’s US Census data, this analysis includes a local estimate-based scenario. To gather local data, a helpful community member generated their own population estimates by drawing a map of every housing unit in town, filling in the number of people living in each unit (as of June 2025), and totaling them up. They also counted the number of rental units and apartments in Frederick. These estimates were done to the best of the community member’s knowledge, and while they may also be imperfect, they are likely more accurate than the ACS data because of the personalized manner of data collection.
By their count, Frederick’s current population is 216 (38 people higher than the US Census Count; within the 50-person margin of error).
The US Census lists Frederick’s 2013 population as 309. PorchLight’s interviews with community members highlighted the fact that 309 was likely far too high of a count, and a rough population estimate of 250 people was agreed upon. Although a population of 250 is slightly outside the 50-person margin of error, community members deemed it a reasonable estimate.
Given the new population estimates of 250 in 2013 and 216 in 2023, Porchlight applied the individual age/income category data from the US Census proportionally to the locally gathered data. While the local estimate is also imperfect, we believe it reflects Frederick more accurately than the US Census data on its own.
Housing Needs Analysis
To project future housing needs for Frederick, Porchlight analyzed available data using our custom housing model built for rural communities and small towns.
This analysis looks at owner-occupied and rental housing across two scenarios: 1) US Census and 2) local data. For the first scenario, it uses the custom housing model to compare data solely from the US Census with data from local estimates and proportional adjustments from the US Census. For the second scenario, it compares the conclusions from the first scenario with qualitative data gathered via input interviews and the community-wide survey.
The summary tables showing the supply vs. demand and net units required by 2033 compared to 2023 are based on information from individual owner-occupied and rental analyses that can be viewed in Appendix D.
Owner-Occupied Housing
i. Housing Model Analysis
These tables present the net need for housing units by income. The left chart is based solely on US Census Data, while the right chart is based on local estimates and proportionally adjusted US Census data.
According to the PorchLight custom housing model, Frederick does not currently have any demand for new owner-occupied housing units.
For income categories that have a net negative demand for units, this does not mean those units need to be demolished or taken offline. It just means that demand in surrounding income categories may be lower and this should be accounted for.
Because of Frederick’s decreasing population, our model does not recommend increased housing units.
ii. Community Input Data
There are currently three (3) owner-occupied structures on the market in Frederick: two (2) single-family units and one (1) townhome. Frederick’s owner-occupied vacancy rate is 2.7%. A vacancy rate of 2% is generally recommended. This fact, along with the conclusions made in Porchlight’s custom housing model, suggests that there is not currently demand for new owner-occupied units in town.
PorchLight’s community surveys found a slightly different perspective. Of the survey respondents who were interested in moving to Frederick in the next ten years, more respondents were interested in owning than renting. As far as availability, one input interviewee remarked, “When looking for housing in Frederick a few years ago, there were no options available at all. The available options now are either too small for my family, too expensive, or both.”
Participants repeatedly mentioned that the current owner-occupied homes for sale are too small to suit families. This sentiment, in addition to PorchLight’s local estimate data, suggests that two things can be true: Frederick has more housing than it needs right now, but people also cannot find housing because what is available doesn’t meet their needs.
Although the number of available units is plenty, the type of units in town are not a match.
iii. Calculating Affordability
Changing interest rates and household-specific down payment amounts make home prices required for specific incomes highly variable. Because the interest rate environment over the life of this report is variable, we do not provide recommendations for specific home prices. Before building spec homes, townhomes, etc., builders will need to assess the financial environment and market as they prepare a specific project.
Use this calculator to get a sense of what these income bands translate to in terms of purchasing power.
Home Affordability Range Calculator
Rental Housing
i. Housing Model Analysis
These tables present the net need for housing units by income. The left chart is based solely on US Census data. The right chart is based on local estimates and scaled US Census data.
According to the PorchLight custom housing model, Frederick does not currently have any demand for new rental units.
For income categories that have a net negative demand for units, this does not mean those units need to be demolished or taken offline. It just means that demand in surrounding income categories may be lower and this should be accounted for.
ii. Community Input Data
There is currently a 0 percent vacancy rate for rental housing and rental apartments in Frederick. There is little rental housing in Frederick (9 total units according to the US Census, 20 total units according to the local estimate). A local estimate counts twelve (12) apartment units in town, but there is a consistent waiting list for the units, suggesting some unmet demand in the community.
Based on the survey, there are fewer people interested in renting than owning out of those who are considering moving to Frederick. It is possible, however, that because there are so few rental units in town, there is demand for them nonetheless.
The model projects that as Frederick’s population decreases, there will be more people moving out of rentals than there will be demand from people who wish to move in. The model uses US Census data to make projections. There is no US Census data about individuals who might wish to move in currently but are unable to do so because of Frederick’s stagnant rental market. If there are people hoping to move in who cannot, as might be suggested from the 0% vacancy rate and apartment waiting list, then it is possible that there is rental demand in Frederick not accounted for by the model.
Appendix
A. Population Data and Trends
To understand current population patterns in Frederick, PorchLight analyzed 10-year age groups to understand age-based population inflows and outflows.
To understand how this analysis works, it is easiest to consider a specific age group. For example, consider the cohort born in or after 1998, who will be aged 35-44 in 2033. Hover over “1998: 35-44” in the chart’s key to see this cohort highlighted. In 2013, this cohort was aged 15-24 and there were 53 of them in Frederick (according to the US Census). Ten years later, this cohort was aged 25-34 and numbered 28. To estimate the size of this cohort in 2033, we look at the 1988 cohort, which increased slightly when aging from the 25-34 cohort to the 35-44 cohort, and assume the 1998 cohort will increase in a similar way as they go through that same age transition. Some age groups will see increases and some will see decreases, and this modeling process helps us understand those age-specific changes based on the demographic push/pull factors of Frederick.
Note: For the following data analyses, some topics have two charts: one using solely US Census data, the other using local estimates and proportional adjustments from the US Census data. For topics where there is a single chart, the data is given as percentages of the total population. This is because, although the U.S. Census and local census total population counts differ, the proportions of how said populations are made up remain the same.
Although both the US Census-based and local estimate-based data predict decreases in population for 2033, the rate of decrease varies substantially between predictions. The following chart shows the anticipated age breakdown of Frederick’s population in 2033. There is no way to predict the exact age breakdown perfectly, but this chart provides a reasonable estimate.
B. Household Data and Trends
Because multiple people often live in one household, we also look to household level data, by age. Based on population projections, we project the number of housing units by householder age.
C. Housing Tenure
In Frederick, 90.2% of households are owner-occupied, and 9.8% are renter-occupied. In US Census data, the term “tenure” is used to differentiate between owner-occupied versus renter-occupied households.
According to the US Census, there are 83 owner-occupied and 9 renter-occupied households in Frederick. The local estimate counts 107 owner-occupied and 20 rental-occupied households. Porchlight’s windshield survey counted 116 detached single dwelling units (including dilapidated homes, not including apartment units).
The chart above is based on the US Census. The local estimate’s ratio is slightly different, but owner-occupied households still make up the vast majority of the housing stock in Frederick.
The below chart shows owners versus renters by household income.
D. Supply vs. Demand Housing Analysis Data
The following analysis explains how Porchlight reached the conclusions in the custom model-based part of the Housing Needs Analysis.
i. Owner-Occupied Households
The blue charts show the modeling PorchLight conducted to estimate demand for owner-occupied housing units in 2033. We first look at current households by income, then adjust for anticipated changes in age cohorts and income, and finally adjust for ideal vacancy rates.
The first chart is based on the US Census data. The second is based on local data and scaled adjustments from the US Census data.
The yellow charts show the modeling PorchLight conducted to estimate supply for owner-occupied housing units in 2033. We first look at the number of housing units in 2023 and then adjust for how many of those housing units will be obsolete in 2033, based on the age of each unit and regional data for rural communities based on United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Components of Inventory Change (CINCH) data.
This modeling allowed Porchlight to create supply vs. demand and net unit requirement projections for owner-occupied housing in Frederick.
ii. Rental Households
The following charts show the modeling PorchLight conducted to estimate demand for rental housing units in 2033. We first look at current households by income, then adjust for changes in age cohorts, trends in how much people pay compared to their income in Frederick, adjust to reach ideal vacancy rates, and then adjust for stock that is anticipated to become obsolete.
These yellow charts show the modeling PorchLight conducted to estimate supply for rental housing units in 2033. We first look at the number of housing units in 2023 and then adjust for how many of those housing units will be obsolete in 2033, based on the age of each unit and regional data for rural communities based on United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Components of Inventory Change (CINCH) data.
This modeling allowed Porchlight to create supply vs. demand and net unit requirement projections for rental housing in Frederick.
E. Housing Costs
i. Rental Households
The following chart compares the cumulative number of households at or above a particular income level (solid line) in Frederick to the number of occupied units in Frederick that are affordable at that income level (dashed line).
Areas marked in green indicate where the number of units affordable at that income level exceed the number of households. The fact that the entire graph is green suggests that there are more housing units affordable at each level than there are households needing them. This indicates that, overall, households are paying an affordable amount for renter-occupied units.
This graph looks sparse because there are very few rentals in Frederick, but it reinforces the notion that those that are available are reasonably priced.
ii. Owner-Occupied Households
The following chart compares the cumulative number of owner-occupied households at or above a particular income level (solid line) in Frederick to the number of owner-occupied housing units in Frederick that are affordable at that income level (dashed line).
The area marked in red indicates an area where the number of households at a particular income level exceed the number of occupied units affordable to that income, and the area marked in green indicates where the number of units affordable at that income level exceed the number of households.
In general, areas marked in red indicate there are too few units available for a particular income and areas marked in green indicate there are more units than required for that particular income level.
The red portion at the <15k part of the chart indicates that there is a shortage of owner-occupied housing units affordable to the lowest-income households. The greatest surplus of owner-occupied housing units is for households in the 35K to 75K income range. The chart tails off at 100K because there is only one unit in the 100K to 150K range.
The 2023 US Census affordability data bears this out. Owner-occupied households with an income of $35,000 or above are currently paying an affordable or very affordable amount of their income for monthly housing costs, but at the lowest end of the income spectrum more households are paying an amount where they would be considered cost burdened.
F. Income Data
According to the US Census, the median household income in Frederick is $81,071 (higher than the South Dakota median income of $71,810) and the mean income is $73,145 (lower than the South Dakota mean income of $96,650).
Use the chart below to compare Frederick and South Dakota’s income level distribution.
G. Economic Analysis
i. Inflow/Outflow Analysis
During the community interviews, one participant described Frederick as a “bedroom community”: a place where people live, but not a place where people work. The United States Census commute data did not exactly align with that viewpoint, as it cited 91 people coming into Frederick for work, 3 living and working in town, and 97 people living in Frederick but leaving for work. The general consensus from Porchlight’s community interviews was that the commute data is flawed. The US Census and Porchlight’s interviewees agreed that more people commute out of Frederick to work than commute in, but exact figures are disputed.
A very significant number of the employees who commute into the community work in education. Below, you can see the net inflow (workers who come to Frederick for work minus workers who leave Frederick for work) by industry, according to the US Census. The exact numbers are subject to a high margin of error and likely inaccurate, but the overall picture gives a general idea of the prevalent industries in Frederick.
The below chart shows median wage along the horizontal axis and net inflow along the vertical axis, with each data point representing a specific industry. For anonymity purposes, the US Census does not include the median wages of workers in industries with very few employees. Hover over any data point to see more precise information.
According to the most recent data (2022) from the US Census’s OnTheMap program, Aberdeen is the most common place that people commute from to work in Frederick. Hecla, Bath, and Groton are the next most common areas that people commute from.
As far as where people who live in Frederick are working, the OnTheMap program counts over twice as many people leaving Frederick to work in Aberdeen as there are people coming from Aberdeen to work in Frederick.
Explore the interactive map below to see where Frederick workers commute from by zip code. Clicking on a specific data point will reveal more information.
The number of jobs available in Frederick is limited, but of those who commute into town for work, the majority come from Aberdeen or nearby rural areas outside of Frederick city limits.
ii. Location Quotient
To understand the economy of Frederick, PorchLight conducted an economic analysis of major industries, comparing Frederick to the United States as a whole and looking at changes over a ten-year period.
First, PorchLight analyzed the Location Quotient for each category of industry in Frederick. Location Quotient compares the prevalence of a particular industry in Frederick compared to the nation. A location quotient higher than one (1) means an industry is more prevalent proportionally in the local area compared to the national average, and a location quotient below one (1) means the industry is less prevalent proportionally compared to the national average.
The following chart demonstrates how the Location Quotient of each industry in Frederick changed from 2013 to 2023. For example, in 2013, agriculture in Frederick was about 6.29 times as prevalent compared to the national average, whereas by 2023 that had increased to 10.91 times the national average.
H. Vacancy Rates
According to the American Community Survey, in 2023, twelve (12) housing units in Frederick were vacant. The local census, taken in June 2025, matches this number. Three (3) units are livable and nine (9) units are uninhabitable. The three (3) livable units are actively on the market.
At the time the American Community Survey data was collected, there was a homeowner vacancy rate of 0.0% and a rental vacancy rate of 0.0%. At the time the local census data was collected, there was a homeowner vacancy rate of 2.7% (number of units for sale divided by the number of units counted in the visual inspection minus dilapidated units) and a rental vacancy rate of 0.0%.
For owner-occupied units, we recommend a target vacancy rate of around 2%.
A 2% vacancy rate for owner-occupied housing demonstrates some availability in the market without a significant number of vacant properties. The typical American homeowner spends about 13 years in their home, and up to 90 days on the market is considered an appropriate amount of time for a home to sell. Taking these factors into account, a home following a typical homeownership cycle will spend about 2% of time vacant. This indicates appropriate housing availability without long-term vacant housing.
For renter-occupied units, we recommend a target vacancy rate of 5-8%. Rental units experience higher turnover and provide necessary slack in the housing market. A 5-8% vacancy rate indicates the average rental unit spends one month vacant every 12-20 months.
The vacancy rate of rental households is 0%, as is the vacancy rate of rental apartments. Vacancy rates of 0% suggest that there is unmet demand in the community.
I. Housing Condition Inspection
On June 18, 2025, PorchLight conducted a visual inspection of detached single dwelling units (single-family homes) in Frederick through a windshield survey.
Homes were evaluated according to the following rubric:
The results of the inspection can be viewed in this interactive map. Dots do not correlate to exact coordinates for each home. Click the information button to see the legend and color-coding system.
Overall, PorchLight reviewed 116 detached single dwelling units. 71 (61.2%) were in sound condition, 22 (18.9%) required minor repairs, 18 (15.5%) required major repairs, and 5 were dilapidated (4.3%). 1 house had a “for sale” sign.
J. Community Input Summary
PorchLight conducted interviews with individuals across the education, banking, commerce, and local leadership sectors in Frederick. We asked participants about the current state of housing in town, the accuracy of Frederick’s U.S. Census data, and the most pressing issues and goals for the community’s future. Our findings are below.
i. Dilapidated Housing
There is a general consensus that dilapidated housing in Frederick is a central issue. A community member identified 12 vacant homes in Frederick, and classified 9 of them unlivable. There are currently 3 structures for sale in town. The high number of dilapidated homes in Frederick reduces property value and overall draw to the community.
The cost of tearing down dilapidated homes raises concern. In the past, tearing down a single home in Frederick cost “almost $20,000”, according to one interviewee. A participant remarked, “You could drive around town right now and pick out a number of structures that have no business standing that could be nice lots. Water and sewer is already there. But there is an expense to clean them up.”
There was also concern about the disorderliness of residences and yards around town. In response, the city has taken measures to improve their ordinances, making them less vague and easier to enforce. Beyond proper code enforcement the city could implement programs like yard-of-the-week to incentivize residents to clean up, but interviewees were unsure how much buy-in said programs would receive.
In general, stakeholders placed an emphasis on improving housing stock in Frederick through infill and the rehabilitation of dilapidated homes, rather than expansion. The importance of code enforcement and cleaning up the general appearance of the town was also emphasized.
ii. Vacant Lots
Beyond vacant homes, community members described the potential for new building projects on vacant lots around town. Participants expressed concern, however, about owners being “willing to part with them and sell them.” Finding ways to acquire vacant lots would give Frederick room to build.
iii. Accommodating Families
With the school’s enrollment staying steady and over a third of students open-enrolling, accommodating the housing needs of families was described as a priority. One interviewee looking to move to the community noted that, “Two of the three houses for sale are two-bedroom, which is too small for my family. I’m not going to buy a house that doesn’t fit everyone. I would be willing to squeeze everybody into a rental for a few years while the kids finish school, but there just isn’t anything available.”
One interviewee estimated that less than 10 percent of Frederick’s students lived within Frederick city limits. Many students live within the school district outside of town and are likely not looking to move. Between 15-20 percent of the student body open-enrolls from Aberdeen, and between 5-10 percent comes from Ellendale. It is uncertain how much demand there is for families looking to move to Frederick, but as of now, there is only one unit with more than two bedrooms available in town.
iv. Marketability
In general, homes in Frederick are less expensive than those in Aberdeen. Given that 88% of survey respondents listed affordability as a priority when finding housing, Frederick should look to keep their homes affordable. On the other hand, interviewees and survey respondents alike stressed the importance of having homes suitable for families and improving the quality of homes in town.
One participant remarked that “the main barrier to building additional housing in Frederick is marketability. To build a new house, you’d probably spend around $400,000—and it would be difficult to sell a house in Frederick for $400,000. There’s going to be some type of market loss.”
Across the board, interviewees spoke highly of the spec house that the Frederick Development Corporation sold for $190,000 in 2020. Frederick might want to look at similar options to keep building costs down and improve marketability in town.
v. Senior Housing
The Frederick Development Corporation built a senior apartment complex with four one-bedroom, one-bath apartments with attached garages for each unit and an efficiency apartment with no garage. The apartments are currently full (with the exception of the efficiency unit, which is left open for the other residents’ guests), but based on community interviews, demand for more senior housing was uncertain. While there are certainly many seniors living in the community in single-family homes, moving into senior housing in Frederick was considered “tricky” by some interviewees because “we don’t have any type of healthcare in town, so seniors either have to be able to drive or have to arrange for rides if they want to stay in Frederick.”
The community-wide survey asked about interest in senior housing in Frederick. Of the respondents that answered the question, 77 percent were not interested. Of those who were, apartments were the most preferred type of housing.
K. Community Survey Results
Beyond community interviews, PorchLight also released a community-wide survey. Participants could submit their responses online or via physical copies available at the Frederick Community Store. Our findings are below.
i. Demographics
Of the 22 respondents, thirteen (13) lived in the town of Frederick, nine (9) lived within the Frederick Area School District but outside of Frederick city limits, and three (3) lived outside of the school district. 50% of participants were between ages 35-44.
ii. Current Home Suitability & Interest in Moving
When asked if their current home suited their needs, seventeen (17) participants answered “yes”, four (4) participants answered “no”, and one person did not respond. All of the participants who answered “no” listed a lack of space as the main reason their current home did not suit their needs.
When asked if they were considering moving, fourteen (14) participants answered “yes”, seven (7) answered “no”, and one person did not respond. PorchLight asked where participants would consider moving to and allowed each respondent to choose multiple locations. There were four (4) votes for moving into Frederick, nine (9) votes for moving outside of town but near Frederick, and eight (8) votes for moving to a different community.
iii. Ideal Home Information
When asked whether they would rather rent or own their next home, seventeen (17) respondents wanted to own, three (3) wanted to rent, and two did not respond.
Participants’ ideal home types are listed in the chart below.
Participants’ ideal home price points are listed in the chart below.
Below are the most important factors when choosing a home, according to survey respondents.
When asked about senior housing in Frederick, fourteen (14) respondents were not interested. Four (4) participants were interested in senior apartments or townhouses.
Acknowledgements
It has been a pleasure working with the people of Frederick on this housing study. Thank you in particular to our steering committee: Jamie Hart, Chris Sumption, and Heidi Marttila-Losure. Thank you also to all of the participants in our input interviews, who provided essential information and context for this report. We hope it serves you well.
About Us
PorchLight is the hub for rural workforce, partnering with rural communities to prepare for the 21st-century workforce. PorchLight is committed to connecting workforce to rural communities, and housing is a frequent barrier for communities to attract and retain workers. We love working with communities to solve problems and provide really good data. We pride ourselves on the connection we make with the people in the communities we serve and ability to apply that essential people-centered information to augment the data and hard numbers we collect.
We believe that you should be able to work big and live small no matter where you choose to call home.
Sofia Losure - PorchLight Intern
Originally from Frederick, SD (pop. 216), Sofia is working as a summer intern for PorchLight. She is a rising sophomore at the University of Chicago, pursuing degrees in Public Policy and Business Economics. Sofia’s internship is funded by the Institute of Politics Hometown Internship Program at the University of Chicago. Upon graduation, Sofia plans to return to South Dakota to attend law school and serve rural communities.
Berk Ehrmantraut - Director of Policy and Communities
Originally from Beresford, SD (pop. 2,180), Berk is the Director of Policy and Communities at PorchLight and the lead author on this report. He leads PorchLight’s work with communities to support their workforce needs including, housing, childcare, community development, and employee attraction.
After growing up in Jamestown, ND and Aberdeen and Beresford, SD, Berk attended American University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a Bachelor of Arts interdisciplinary studies degree in Communication, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government. He is a Certified Collaborative Discussion Coach through the Collaborative Discussion Project.
After working on South Dakota political campaigns and working as a staffer for the South Dakota legislature, Berk returned to Washington, DC , where he served as the Senior Digital Communications Manager for Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, an advocacy nonprofit responsible for securing $1.56 billion in annual appropriations for programs to fight infectious diseases globally.
Berk came back to South Dakota to serve as Executive Director of a major political non-profit. In his two years serving as Executive Director, he more than doubled election cycle expenditures, revitalized the organization’s culture, improved operational and financial procedures, delivered robust programming and events, and achieved key electoral objectives.
Berk lives in Sioux Falls, SD with his wife, Keeley.
Jessica Meyers - CEO
Originally from Winner, SD (pop. 2,852), Jessica Meyers was raised in Winner and Vermillion, SD, and earned her bachelor’s degree at South Dakota State University in Brookings. Jessica and her husband, Matt, followed the flight patterns of many young adults and left the small towns of SD for bigger cities. After 10 years of living in some of the largest cities in America, she now lives in Sioux Falls with her family. In her professional career, Jessica has worked in several industries, from publishing, sales, and healthcare recruiting, where she has run multi-million dollar organizations and won multiple national awards across industries. Pairing over 20 years of sales and recruiting experience, she is co-founder and CEO of PorchLight. This talent recruitment firm partners with rural communities to prepare for the 21st-century workforce and connect rural workers to employment opportunities.
Jessica created the first-of-its-kind PorchLight Certification and the platform where rural development and job opportunities connect.
Jessica has been married for over 25 years to her high school sweetheart, Matt, and they have three daughters, Eve, Grace, and Juliet, who live in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.