Buyer Guides · April 6, 2026
New Construction in Yankton: Garden Estates and Fox Run
By Michelle Maloney, Broker/Owner, Maloney Real Estate · SD License #14315
Two projects driving new construction in Yankton
Yankton's new construction market runs through two developments. Garden Estates is a 28-acre subdivision on the west side with 89 owner-occupied lots at $36,500 to $50,000, groundbreaking in 2024 per City of Yankton. Fox Run Townhomes at 900 West 25th Street is a completed 108-unit complex built in 2020, with 1 to 3-bedroom units renting from $1,135 to $1,640 per month per Mills Property. Both developments are 3 miles from downtown, 2 miles from Highway 81, and 12 to 15 miles from Lewis and Clark Lake ramps. Realtor.com counted 16 active new construction listings across all of Yankton as of early 2026, which tells you how tight the new supply still is.
What is Garden Estates and how does it work?
Garden Estates is a City of Yankton development offering 89 owner-occupied lots for single-family and twin homes, priced from $36,500 to $50,000 per the City of Yankton Garden Estates project overview. The subdivision covers 28 acres accessed off West 25th Street and West 26th Street near the west city limits. Buyers must build within 3 years of lot purchase. The first 5 lot payments are deferred to help buyers manage lot purchase alongside construction financing. HOA dues run $100 per year and covenants require owner occupancy and maintain aesthetic standards. Average subsidy per lot is roughly $18,000 through Yankton Thrive per the Yankton Thrive Facebook announcement of the 2024 groundbreaking. An example lot on East 26th Street is listed at $40,000 under MLS #117173 per Zillow.
What does a finished Garden Estates home actually cost?
Lot prices run $36,500 to $50,000 per the City of Yankton. Construction costs on a standard ranch or two-story in Yankton run $200,000 to $300,000 depending on finish level, which puts a finished Garden Estates home at $250,000 to $350,000 total. That is above the Yankton citywide median of $241,000 per Redfin January 2026, which is the new-construction premium you pay for a brand-new structure and a full warranty. Soil borings in Garden Estates note a high water table on some lots per the project overview, which affects foundation type and adds modest engineering costs. Review the boring report for the specific lot before signing.
What are the Fox Run Townhomes specs?
Fox Run Townhomes at 900 West 25th Street is a 108-unit complex completed in 2020 per Mills Property. Units range from 1-bedroom at 723 square feet to 3-bedroom at 1,502 square feet. Rents run $1,135 for a 1-bedroom to $1,640 for a 3-bedroom Phase II upper-level unit per Mills Property and Apartments.com. Garages add $50 per month. The complex is pet-friendly with a $250 deposit plus $50 per month per pet per Apartments.com. Water, sewer, and garbage are included in rent. Bluepeak GIG internet is available in the building. Residents receive a 25 percent discount on Fox Run Golf Course greens fees per Mills Property.
What schools do Garden Estates and Fox Run families use?
Both developments fall within Yankton School District 63-3. Elementary students attend Stewart Elementary, which serves kindergarten through 5th grade with 278 students and a 3/10 GreatSchools rating. Middle schoolers attend Yankton Middle School, grades 6 through 8, 606 students, rated 7/10 by GreatSchools. High school students attend Yankton High School, grades 9 through 12, 942 students, rated 9/10 per GreatSchools and Public School Review. The district enrolls 3,036 students total with a 95 percent graduation rate per the South Dakota Department of Education 2024-25 data.
How far are both developments from downtown and the lake?
Garden Estates and Fox Run Townhomes are both 3 miles from downtown Yankton, about 7 minutes of driving per mapping data. Highway 81 is 2 miles from both developments. Lewis and Clark Lake ramps are 12 to 15 miles south on SD-52, roughly 20 minutes. The location gives residents quick access to Avera Sacred Heart Hospital on Summit Street, the Meridian Street restaurant corridor downtown, and the Fox Run Golf Course immediately adjacent to the townhome complex.
Why Garden Estates exists and what problem it solves
Yankton has a workforce housing gap. The city's major employers, including Avera Sacred Heart, Gurney's Seed, and the Federal Prison Camp, need housing for mid-income workers who cannot compete for the existing stock of older homes that move fast below $250,000 but often need significant updates. Garden Estates was designed to fill that gap: 89 lots at accessible prices, subsidized to bring the per-lot cost below market, with deferred payment terms for buyers who need to bridge lot purchase and construction financing simultaneously. The Yankton Thrive subsidy runs roughly $18,000 per lot on average, which is the city making a direct investment in new workforce housing. For buyers who have been renting in Fox Run Townhomes and want to build equity, a Garden Estates lot is the natural next step. Browse the full neighborhoods guide for context on Sawgrass and other established west-side options, and the buyer guide for how to structure a lot purchase alongside a construction loan.
What amenities are near both developments?
Fox Run Golf Course 18-hole public is immediately adjacent to Fox Run Townhomes per the City of Yankton. Fox Run Park is near the Garden Estates site. Riverside Park trails are 3 miles from both developments per TrailLink Yankton trail listings. Avera Sacred Heart Hospital is 10 minutes east. The Meridian Street corridor has downtown restaurants, Ben's Brewing, and retail. A Walmart Supercenter sits on the north edge of town. The nearest Sioux Falls Costco or Home Depot is 60 minutes north on US-81, which is the standard trade-off for small-city living anywhere in the upper Midwest.
Is the high water table at Garden Estates a problem?
Soil borings in Garden Estates note elevated water table conditions on certain lots per the Garden Estates Project Overview document from the City of Yankton. This is a standard engineering disclosure, not a red flag that applies equally to every lot in the subdivision. The correct response is to review the boring report for the specific lot you are considering, ask the builder about foundation type (slab versus crawl versus basement), and factor any engineering adjustments into your total cost estimate. A $40,000 lot may need a slab foundation where a $50,000 lot supports a full basement. Talk to a licensed contractor in Yankton before finalizing a lot purchase.
What should buyers do next for new construction in Yankton?
For Garden Estates lots, start with the City of Yankton project overview at yanktonsd.com/garden-estates to review available lots, covenant requirements, and the deferred payment terms. Pull the Zillow listing for the specific lot address you are considering to confirm MLS status and current pricing. For Fox Run Townhomes, contact Mills Property directly at millsproperty.com or check Apartments.com for current unit availability and pricing. For any new construction purchase, work with a buyer's agent who can pull recent Garden Estates and Fox Run area comps. The Yankton buyer guide covers the full purchase process including how construction loans work alongside lot purchases, and the contact page connects you directly to Maloney Real Estate for lot availability.
About the Author
Michelle Maloney is the Broker/Owner of Maloney Real Estate in Yankton, South Dakota. She helps buyers and sellers understand the local market, compare their options, and make confident real estate decisions across Yankton and southeast South Dakota.
Sources
City of Yankton Garden Estates, Garden Estates Project Overview PDF, Mills Property Fox Run Townhomes, Apartments.com Fox Run Townhomes, Zillow East 26th St Lot MLS #117173, Redfin Yankton Housing Market, Realtor.com New Construction Yankton, Public School Review Yankton District 63-3, SD DOE District Report Card, Yankton Thrive Garden Estates Groundbreaking, Fox Run Golf Course City of Yankton, TrailLink Yankton Trails.
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