Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of Florida, you would:
Health
be 23.2% less likely to have diabetes
In Florida, 11.2% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 8.6% as of 2022.
live 0.8 years less
In Florida, the average life expectancy is 78 years (76 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.
Economy
be 45.5% less likely to be unemployed
In Florida, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
Safety
be 22.9% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Florida has a violent crime rate of 280 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 344 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 27.1% less for a home
The median home value in Florida is $325,000 as of 2023, compared to $236,800 in South Dakota as of 2023.
pay 41.7% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Florida is $1,564 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $912 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 10.4 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Florida takes 28.0 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 20.9% less likely to be uninsured
In Florida, 11.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 8.7% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 97.1% less densely populated
Florida has a population density of 164.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 21.2% less likely to be food insecure
In Florida, 9.9% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In South Dakota, that number is 7.8% as of 2021.
be 11.2% more likely to smoke
In Florida, 14.3% of adults smoke as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 15.9% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 4.9 years older on average
The median age in Florida is 42.6 years as of 2023. In South Dakota, the median age is 37.7 years as of 2023.
be 11.6% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Florida, 22.4% 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 75.0% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Florida, 8.4% 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), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
