Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of Colorado, you would:
Health
live 1.6 years less
In Colorado, the average life expectancy is 78 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In South Dakota, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.
be 35.4% more likely to be obese
In Colorado, 26.3% of adults are obese as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 35.6% of people as of 2022.
Economy
be 33.3% less likely to be unemployed
In Colorado, 3.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
make 17.3% less money
Colorado has a GDP per capita of $74,650 as of 2024, while in South Dakota, the GDP per capita is $61,724 as of 2024.
be 25.8% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Colorado, 8.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Dakota, however, that number is 11.2% as of 2023.
Safety
be 25.8% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Colorado has a violent crime rate of 463 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 344 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 43.5% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Colorado has a property crime rate of 2,814 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 1,591 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 52.8% less for a home
The median home value in Colorado is $502,200 as of 2023, compared to $236,800 in South Dakota as of 2023.
pay 46.1% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Colorado is $1,693 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $912 as of 2023.
earn 21.7% less money
The median household income in Colorado is $92,470 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $72,421 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 7.9 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Colorado takes 25.5 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 78.6% less densely populated
Colorado has a population density of 22.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 12.4% less likely to be food insecure
In Colorado, 8.9% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In South Dakota, that number is 7.8% as of 2021.
be 19.2% more likely to be uninsured
In Colorado, 7.3% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 8.7% as of 2023.
be 27.2% more likely to smoke
In Colorado, 12.5% of adults smoke as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 15.9% as of 2022.
be 28.2% more likely to be physically inactive
In Colorado, 17.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 22.7% as of 2022.
be 34.0% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Colorado, 30.0% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 19.8% as of 2023.
be 56.2% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Colorado, 4.8% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 2.1% as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
