About Lake Area

Quality of Life

Gently rolling hills give way to sparkling lakes. Cornfields fill the countryside in a beautiful sea of green. This country is a perfect place to unwind.

With a population of over 6,000 people, an available and skilled workforce, and a business-friendly atmosphere, Madison offers a great place to live, work and raise a family. We are surrounded by five lakes, two state parks, two golf courses, offer recreational activities and a warm community spirit. In addition, we have an excellent school system, a nationally recognized university, a Community Center for personal and family wellness, a top-notch clinic and hospital, aquatics center and many more quality of life opportunities.

Relax...

  • Plant yourself at a lake shore cabin.
  • Ride a train at Prairie Village.
  • Enjoy an evening stroll through Lake Herman State Park.
  • Treat your family to a weekend of camping.
  • Take a swim or enjoy a good workout at the Community Center.
  • Visit the John Green Art Studio, Smith-Zimmermann Museum or the Karl Mundt Library.
  • Play a round of golf.
  • Spend the day hunting or fishing.
  • Ride for miles on snowmobile trails.
  • Relax at one of our many local restaurants.

We're open for business...

From a business perspective, it's hard to argue with the benefits in South Dakota.

  • #1 Best States for Business - Business Costs (Forbes Magazine)++
  • #1 Enterprising States - Business Climate (US Chamber of Commerce Foundation)++
  • #1 Business Tax Index 2015: State Tax Systems for Entrepreneurship & Small Business (Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council)++
  • #1 Tax Revenue - Least Volatility (2016, Pew Charitable Trusts, Pewtrusts.org)+
  • #1 Top States for Credit Conditions (Cardratings.com)++
  • #1 Camelot Index- Prudent Government (2015, State Policy Reports, FFIS, FFIS.org)+
  • #2 Business Friendliness (2015, CNBC.com)++
  • #2 State Business Tax Climate Index, Tax Foundation++
  • #3 Small Business Policy Index (2016, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, sbecouncil.org)+
  • #3 State Fiscal Condition Index (Mercatus Center, George Mason University)++
  • #5 in America's Top States for Business - Cost of Doing Business (2015, CNBC.com)+
  • #6 Kauffman Index: Startup Activity (Kauffman Foundation)++
    +Source: http:///www.SDReadytoWork.com, ++Source: South Dakota Governor's Office of Economic Development, 2015 Annual Report

and business friendly...

  • No Corporate Income Tax
  • No Personal Income Tax
  • No Personal Property Tax
  • No Business Inventory Tax
  • No Inheritance Tax

While people in more metropolitan areas spend hours of drive time, the state average commute in South Dakota is 16.9 minutes (2015). What that means is more time for family, golfing, fishing, hiking, or doing whatever it is that makes you happiest.

Some say living in South Dakota is like a dream come true. We work hard, we play hard. We make a profit, we keep that profit. We have the time to do the things that are important to us … and we think that's the way life is meant to be.

Lake Area Improvement Corporation © 2024. Developed by Intuvio Solutions.

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