Madison, SD Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Madison, SD Summary

Cost of living in Madison research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Madison is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in South Dakota, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Madison is 84, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Madison is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Madison ranks as the #1 cheapest in South Dakota out of 19.

  • Madison ranks as the #406 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Madison is $259,961.

  • The median income in Madison is $62,180.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
84
Madison's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Madison, SD?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Madison has an overall cost of living index of 84, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to South Dakota, Madison has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than South Dakota's index of 88.

The standard of living in Madison ranks as #1 most affordable out of the 19 places we measured in South Dakota. By definition, that implies Madison ranks as the #18 most expensive place in the Mount Rushmore State.

For more reading on life in Madison, check out:

1 out of 19
In South Dakota
406 out of 6,489
In America

Madison Cost Of Living Vs. South Dakota

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Madison. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Madison is 90.

  • The Groceries index in Madison is 97.

  • The Health index in Madison is 104.

  • The Housing index in Madison is 69.

  • The Transportation index in Madison is 89.

  • The Utilities index in Madison is 86.

Living Expense Madison South Dakota National Average
Overall 84 88 100
Services 90 95 100
Groceries 97 98 100
Health 104 100 100
Housing 69 78 100
Transportation 89 95 100
Utilities 86 89 100
For more reading on cost of living around South Dakota, check out:
Madison Cost of Living Vs. SD

Madison, SD Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in South Dakota, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Madison is $259,961.

  • The Median Rent in Madison is $874.

  • The Median Income in Madison is $62,180.

  • The Home Value To Income in Madison is 4.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Madison is 0.17x.

Statistic Madison South Dakota United States
Median Home Value $259,961 $315,406 $303,400
Median Rent $874 $912 $1,348
Median Income $62,180 $72,421 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.2x 4.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.15x 0.21x
$259,961
Median Home Value
$874
Median Rent
$62,180
Median Income

Madison, SD Costs By Category

Detailed Madison Services Costs Vs. South Dakota

Item Madison South Dakota
Shampoo $1.29 $1.28
Movie $9.36 $12.13
Bowling $16.4 $18
Haircut $24.32 $24.26
Beauty Salon $35.22 $45.56

Detailed Madison Groceries Costs Vs. South Dakota

Item Madison South Dakota
Ground Beef $5.89 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.75 $4.67
Potatoes $4.63 $4.93
Pizza $10.64 $12.09
Beer $9.33 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.8 $3.7

Detailed Madison Health Costs Vs. South Dakota

Item Madison South Dakota
Optometrist $135.1 $125.68
Doctor $177.33 $135.78
Dentist $108.21 $113.29

Detailed Madison Transportation Costs Vs. South Dakota

Item Madison South Dakota
Gasoline $3.28 $3.46
Tire Balancing $49.42 $59.92

Detailed Madison Utilities Costs Vs. South Dakota

Item Madison South Dakota
All Electricity $141.67 $193.99
Phone $194.04 $192.25

Madison SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
5
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
5
Safety
8.5
Amenities
8
Education
8
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Madison

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Madison. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Sioux Falls, SD has a cost of living index of 97, 1.2x Madison.

  • Brookings, SD has a cost of living index of 94, 1.1x Madison.

  • Mitchell, SD has a cost of living index of 90, 1.1x Madison.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Madison
Sioux Falls, SD 197,642 97 1.2x
Brookings, SD 23,710 94 1.1x
Mitchell, SD 15,637 90 1.1x
Brandon, SD 10,996 102 1.2x
Harrisburg, SD 7,790 100 1.2x
Tea, SD 6,339 98 1.2x

Articles About South Dakota

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