Real Estate Investing in Madison, South Dakota (57042)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Lake County • Population: 7,900 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 57042 (Madison, SD)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (61/100)

Mixed signals — some positives, some negatives. Worth considering but not a slam-dunk.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
2 flags
  • High vacancy: 13.9% of homes vacant — above national norms.
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 26.4 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

• Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Madison, SD (57042)?

Click any question — our AI will research it live from the web and show you sources.

✨ Live AI + Web Search
Want to ask your own questions? Upgrade to Pro for unlimited custom queries.
3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

4.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $273,405
Avg Monthly Rent $864
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $70,046
% Renters 33.2%

Market Analysis: 57042 Madison

This part of Lake County is not an easy win. The 57042 ZIP reflects softness in key indicators, and the playbook that works in cleaner markets often stalls here.

The 57042 ZIP can work — but only with a tight operating hand. Remote landlords and passive investors tend to struggle here more than the underwriting suggests.

The gap between 57042 and stronger Madison ZIPs is not closing quickly. Investors should weight long-horizon assumptions accordingly.

Who lives in 57042 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

New investors are better served looking at Madison's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 57042. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Madison:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 72/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
25/25
Stability
9/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 3.9× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+5.3%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $864/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$285K$252K$218K$185K$151K$118KFeb 2017Nov 2021Jul 2026

📊 How Does 57042 Compare?

Metric 57042 Madison South Dakota
Home Value $273,405 $273,405 $311,504
5-Year CAGR 8.1% 8.1% 6.8%
Avg Rent $864 $864 -
Cap Rate 2.5% 2.5% -
💡 Why Invest in 57042? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
Open the Market Finder →
Free to search · investor plans from $19/mo

Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 57042 (Madison, SD). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 57042 (Madison, SD)?

~25 seconds · no account needed · your report is anonymous

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.5%
Low
5yr Growth
+8.1%
Strong

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $273,405
Monthly Rent $864
Price-to-Rent 26.4:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.8%
Cap Rate 2.5%
5-Year IRR 10.6%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +5.3% ▲
3-Year CAGR +5.0% ▲
5-Year CAGR +8.1% ▲
10-Year CAGR N/A

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.5%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.5%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
13.9%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+8.1%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 57042

Population: 7,900

💰 Median Household Income
$70,046
This area
$70,046
State
$68,422
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
33.2%
This area
33.2%
State
23.8%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.2%
This area
1.2%
State
-0.5%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
36.9%
This area
36.9%
State
17.7%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
42.4 years
This area
42.4 years
State
31.0 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
13.9%
This area
13.9%
State
18.9%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 95.2%
Other/Mixed 4.4%
Hispanic/Latino 0.4%
Black/African American 0.3%
👶 Under 18
20.9%
This area
20.9%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
22.3%
This area
22.3%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
4.6%
This area
4.6%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 57042

B Avg School Grade
4 Schools
14.0:1 Avg Class Size
$11,032 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

B+ Above Average

Madison Middle School - 02

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
274 Students
👨‍🏫
12.4:1 Class Size
💰
$11,180 Per Student
B Good

Madison Elementary - 07

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
507 Students
👨‍🏫
15.5:1 Class Size
💰
$11,180 Per Student
B Good

Madison High School - 01

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
397 Students
👨‍🏫
15.4:1 Class Size
💰
$11,180 Per Student
C+ Average

Rustic Acres Elementary - 04

📚 K – 08 School
👥
39 Students
👨‍🏫
13.0:1 Class Size
💰
$10,587 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

1 Nearby 49 Off-Campus Students
C
Dakota State University
3,508 students · 3.1 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Madison in SD worth investing in?

Our data puts Madison, SD at 3.0/5 for investability. Home prices of $273K and rents around $864/mo create a solid backdrop for investor activity.

How strong are rents in Madison, SD?

Investors in Madison, SD typically see rents near $864/mo per month against $273K home values - a solid setup for rental cash flow.

What are vacancy rates like in Madison, SD?

Madison, SD sees elevated vacancy, which is reasonable relative to the broader SD rental market.

Are renters plentiful in Madison, SD?

Madison, SD draws a measured base of working renters. Demand at the $864/mo rent level is reasonable for standard single-family and small multi rentals.

What real estate strategy is ideal for Madison, SD?

For Madison, SD, careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management is the standard investor playbook. The market structure makes it a reasonable default approach.

You know 57042 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 57042 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

Compare Plans
🤖

AI Market Advisor

Ask questions about investing in 57042 (Madison)

Loading...

Community Ratings

What people who’ve spent time here actually say. Not paid reviews.

Be the first to rate 57042 (Madison, SD).

It takes 30 seconds. No signup. Your rating helps everyone who comes here after you.