Lake MadisonSD
A town in South Dakota, home to 936 people.
Is Lake Madison a good place to live?
Lake Madison’s median age is 63.2 years, above both the South Dakota town median (39.5 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). Only 2 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a higher median household income than Lake Madison. The biggest park or preserve is Bourne Slough Water Access Area, at 94 acres. Lake Madison has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
936 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Lake Madison: who provides what
Lake Madison is unincorporated, so Lake County and regional agencies provide most services.
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 Madison.
With 0.3 jobs for every working resident, most of Lake Madison’s workers commute out
Half the trips to work are shorter than 28 miles. Since 2013, Lake Madison has added 63 jobs, to 98 in 2023. Most working residents leave Lake Madison for work: only 4% work in town. 1% of Lake Madison residents live below the poverty line.
| Lake Madison | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.7% | 29% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 1% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expect snowy winters and pleasant summers in Lake Madison
The July high in Lake Madison is 83°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
A smaller share of adults in Lake Madison report frequent mental distress than in the typical South Dakota or U.S. town
13% of adults have diabetes in Lake Madison. No town among the 36 in South Dakota we compare has a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Lake Madison. CDC measures, 26 in all: Lake Madison beats South Dakota on 9 and trails on 5. Among 36 South Dakota towns, just 3 have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Lake Madison.
| Lake Madison | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 31% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 22% | 23% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 82% | 76% | 79% |
| What stands out | Lake Madison | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 5.4% | 12.7% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.3% | 8.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 13% | 9.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
In Lake Madison, 5.3% of the land is conserved
Trails run 0.4 miles in 8 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bourne Slough Water Access Area | — | 94 |
| 2. Payne Waterfowl Production Area | — | 55 |
| 3. Walker's Point Recreation Area | — | 48 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Moderate risk in Lake Madison, with inland flooding at the top
Expected losses in Lake Madison break down as 45% from inland flooding and 24% from tornadoes. Compared with 56% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage locally is higher.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
A home in Lake Madison sells for about $600K at the median
The share of households in Lake Madison who are owner-occupiers: 91%.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Everything we know about Lake Madison
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Lake Madison
About 1 of every 100 Lake Madison residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
96% of working residents leave Lake Madison for work
Where Lake Madison’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Lake Madison
Census-designated place in South Dakota, United States
Lake Madison is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Lake County, South Dakota, United States. Its population was 829 as of the 2020 census. The community is located on the shores of Lake Madison. Lake Madison provides many activities including camping, boating, and fishing. While fishing, you can expect to catch walleye, perch, white bass, crappie, smallmouth bass, and northern pike.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 9.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,604 ft
- Area code
- 605
Questions about Lake Madison
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lake Madison, SD a good place to live?
Lake Madison has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.