Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of Connecticut, you would:
Health
live 1.7 years less
In Connecticut, the average life expectancy is 78 years (78 years for men, 83 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 13.7% more likely to be obese
In Connecticut, 31.3% of adults are obese as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 35.6% of people as of 2022.
Economy
be 41.5% less likely to be unemployed
In Connecticut, 4.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
make 20.4% less money
Connecticut has a GDP per capita of $77,582 as of 2024, while in South Dakota, the GDP per capita is $61,724 as of 2024.
be 17.9% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Connecticut, 9.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Dakota, however, that number is 11.2% as of 2023.
Safety
be 2.3 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Connecticut has a violent crime rate of 147 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 344 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 31.0% less for a home
The median home value in Connecticut is $343,200 as of 2023, compared to $236,800 in South Dakota as of 2023.
pay 36.3% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Connecticut is $1,431 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $912 as of 2023.
earn 22.8% less money
The median household income in Connecticut is $93,760 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $72,421 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 9.0 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Connecticut takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 98.4% less densely populated
Connecticut has a population density of 290.3 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 24.3% less likely to be food insecure
In Connecticut, 10.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In South Dakota, that number is 7.8% as of 2021.
be 70.6% more likely to be uninsured
In Connecticut, 5.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 8.7% as of 2023.
be 24.2% more likely to smoke
In Connecticut, 12.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 15.9% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 3.5 years older on average
The median age in Connecticut is 41.2 years as of 2023. In South Dakota, the median age is 37.7 years as of 2023.
be 31.2% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Connecticut, 28.8% 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 68.7% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Connecticut, 6.7% 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.
