Lake County, South Dakota
Among the top 20% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 80% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 48% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 45% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 64% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 75% of US counties
- top 2% for amenities nearby
- top 5% for unemployment
- bottom 7% for school quality
Lake County is a county in South Dakota with about 11,000 residents. It grades B+ for affordability and C for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include amenities nearby, unemployment, and commute time. It rates lower on park & nature access and school quality.
Official websitelakecountysd.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
freezing
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warm
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79%56%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.6 in0.6 in
humid 92%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$75k82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$44kbetter than 70% of US counties
Home Value$197k66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$819better than 50% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 24% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.19%better than 28% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax6.11%better than 78% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden5.13%better than 91% of US counties
Unemployment1.6%better than 95% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)17°F8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)74°F28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation26.5 in21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall37.3 inbetter than 22% of US counties
Sunny Days235 daysbetter than 48% of US counties
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 64% of US counties
Comfortable Days83 daysbetter than 60% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk32.6better than 66% of US counties
School Quality34.2better than 7% of US counties
Violent Crime743/100kbetter than 52% of US counties
Property Crime660/100kbetter than 63% of US counties
Community
Population11,20725th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age44.374th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1219th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0987th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2838th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)92.2%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.4%17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.8%29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.1%16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.6%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time16 minbetter than 94% of US counties
Walkability6.6/20better than 66% of US counties
Airport Distance198 mibetter than 14% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.9%better than 88% of US counties
Amenities Nearby28.55better than 98% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 10% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lake County an affordable place to live?
- Lake County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $44k, better than 70% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Lake County?
- The median home value in Lake County is $197k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Lake County?
- Median household income in Lake County is $75k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Lake County?
- Median gross rent in Lake County is $819 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Lake County safe?
- Lake County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 743/100k (better than 52%). Property crime is 660/100k.
- What is the weather like in Lake County?
- Lake County averages 74°F in July and 17°F in January, with 26.5 in of annual precipitation and about 235 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Lake County?
- Public-school quality in Lake County is below average, scoring better than 7% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Lake County?
- The average one-way commute in Lake County is 16 min.
Other counties in South Dakota
Explore South Dakota
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)