LIVING IN WATERTOWN
What Makes Watertown Great?
Work & Life
The answer is simple—ample opportunity and abundant possibilities. Businesses thrive in Watertown thanks to our strong workforce, low taxes and low cost of doing business. This is where familiar favorites meet locally owned restaurants and boutiques.
Nestled between two lakes, Watertown has excellent outdoor recreation, hunting and fishing opportunities. Our neighborhoods are clean, quiet and safe. Our school district is one of the best in the state and our hospital is the largest privately owned facility in South Dakota.
Watertown 101
Perfectly Positioned
Watertown is the fourth largest community in the state, with an estimated population of 23,019. Platted in 1878, Watertown was named for Watertown, NY, the former home of one of its early settlers. The name fits well, as we are located in South Dakota’s Glacial Lakes region, right between Lake Kampeska and Pelican Lake.
Taxes
South Dakota has no corporate income tax, no inventory tax, no personal income tax, no personal property tax and no inheritance tax.
Safety
Watertown is served by two full-time fire departments, police force and the Codington County Sheriff’s Office. The Watertown Fire Department has ten trucks including a snorkel platform and two airport crash trucks. The department operates an emergency ambulance service and has four fully equipped ambulances.
Transportation
Watertown is on the intersection of Interstate 29 and US Highway 212, which runs to Minneapolis.
Weather
Watertown is in the heart of the High Plains Region and has four distinct seasons. Our hot summer weather is perfect for water sports while winter provides enough snow and cold for snowmobiling, cross country skiing and ice fishing. Autumn is filled with color and some of the best pheasant and waterfowl hunting in the nation.
Things To Do
Discover
Watertown is home to the Terry Redlin Art Center, which houses 150 original oil paintings from Americana artist Terry Redlin. The center and surrounding conservation park hosts thousands of visitors every year. The Bramble Park Zoo is a quaint hometown facility that allows visitors to get up close to the animals as they learn about them. Visitors can also enjoy art displays and world-renowned shows at the Goss Opera House and tour the home of South Dakota’s first Governor, Arthur C. Mellette.
Health Care
Advanced Technology & Staff
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System is a regional health system with the latest in medical technology. The skilled, compassionate staff specializes in everything from cardiology to radiation therapy, making first-rate health care convenient and close.
Sanford Health Watertown Clinic
Sanford Health Watertown Clinic has also been providing high quality healthcare to patients living in Watertown and neighboring communities since 1999. They offer a wide range of services including family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, surgery and therapy.
Brown Clinic
Brown Clinic is also in Watertown. The clinic consists of 19 physicians, 7 non-physician clinicians and over 100 employees with two locations. Brown Clinic offers internal medicine, geriatric care, pediatrics, general surgery, obstetrics/gynecology, podiatry, laboratory services and in-house radiology.
COST OF LIVING CALCULATOR
After taxes, how much of your income do you take home? How much can you buy with your wages? The bottom line is location matters. And we can prove it.
Making the move to Watertown, South Dakota, is like putting money in your pocket. Our low cost of living, low taxes and low utilities mean you can keep more of your hard-earned cash. See how Watertown compares to other places.