Fountain Artesian Well, at Lake Andes, S. Dak, 1908
Lake Township’s story
Lake Township in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1908 and 2 maps from 1969 on.
Explore the history →Lake TownshipSD
A town of 668.
Population
668
2025 Census estimate · +2.6% since 2020
Median home value
$350K
Census ACS
Household income
$107K
median
Median age
34.9
years
Jobs based here
104
A commuter town
Is Lake Township a good place to live?
The biggest park or preserve is Eckman GPA, at 32 acres. Lake Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
668 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
WatertownFuller TownshipElmira TownshipRauville TownshipPelican TownshipRichland TownshipLake Township
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Lake Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lake Township, and how to reach them.
PowerNorthWestern Energy13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterClark Rural Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet9 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Lake Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteIn personSouth Dakota has no online registration; you can register in person until 15 days before Election Day or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCodington County AuditorCodington County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP codes57201, 5723557201 97% · 57235 3%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Lake Township.
Work & commute
A smaller share of working residents work locally in Lake Township than in most of South Dakota or the rest of the country
Lake Township’s middle household income is $107,000, above both the South Dakota town median ($72,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). Since 2013, Lake Township has lost 73 jobs, to 104 in 2023. Its average trip to work is 20 minutes. The top destinations are Watertown (61%), Sioux Falls (9%) and Brookings (2%).
1%work in town
| Lake Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 0.7% | 29% | 8% |
| Median household income | $107,000 | $72,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Lake Township1%
Watertown61%
Sioux Falls9%
Brookings2%
Sheridan Township2%
6 mi
median commute distance
104
jobs based in Lake Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Lake Township, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Its July high is 81°F, against 85°F in South Dakota’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns.
32″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter6–24°
Spring31–53°
Summer57–79°
Fall34–56°
Sep 28
typical first frost
May 7
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Lake Township is
The share of adults in Lake Township who binge drink: 19%. The town tracks South Dakota closely on all 26 CDC measures.
| Lake Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 36% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 19% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 22% | 25% |
26 measures vs. South Dakota
0 better26 too close to call0 worse
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System
3.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Lake Township faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected losses in Lake Township break down as 54% from inland flooding and 14% from cold waves. FEMA expects more storm and flood damage locally than in 59% of U.S. communities.
59risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
Lake Township keeps 7.7% of its land conserved
0.6 miles of trail wind through 2 parks and preserves.
7.7%conserved
7.7%
conserved · 1,049 of 13,560 acres
0.6 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Eckman GPA | — | 32 |
| 2. Forsberg Park | — | 11 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lake Township
17pages on Lake Township
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Lake Township
About 1 of every 100 Lake Township residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Lake Township for work
Where Lake Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
104jobs based in Lake Township
1%of working residents work in town
6 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about Lake Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lake Township, SD a good place to live?
Lake Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.