Lake Madison is a small town of 850 in South Dakota, with a median household income of $114,250
and a 4.4% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is
3% below the national average.
Strengths:
Lake Madison stands out for a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Lake Madison is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Lake Madison city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 97.2
Lake Madison's overall cost of living index is 97.2,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Lake Madison costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.
Metric
Lake Madison, SD
National Avg
Median Home Value
$489,600
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$840
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
91.0%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$114,250
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Lake Madison's violent crime rate is 109.4 per 100,000 residents
— 71% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
109.4 /100k
Property Crime
617.3 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Lake Madison, SD
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
49.0%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
99.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Lake Madison sees average highs of 25.2°F in January
and 83.3°F in July,
with 26.8 inches of annual precipitation
and 38.1 inches of snow per year.
Lake Madison's cost of living index is 97, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Lake Madison roughly 3% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $489,600 and median rent is $840/month.
Lake Madison's violent crime rate is 109.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 617.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Lake Madison, SD has a population of 850, a median household income of $114,250, and an unemployment rate of 4.4%.
Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Lake Madison averages 25.2°F in January and 83.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 26.8 inches
with about 38.1 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Lake Madison, SD is covered by 1 ZIP code: 57075.
The population of Lake Madison, South Dakota is 850 with a median age of 61.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Lake Madison: cost of living index 97 (100 = US average), median home $489,600, median household income $114,250, crime index 29 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Lake Madison side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.