Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of Georgia, you would:
Health
live 1.1 years longer
In Georgia, the average life expectancy is 76 years (75 years for men, 80 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 27.1% less likely to have diabetes
In Georgia, 11.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 8.6% as of 2022.
Economy
be 27.3% less likely to be unemployed
In Georgia, 3.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
be 11.1% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Georgia, 12.6% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Dakota, however, that number is 11.2% as of 2023.
Safety
be 10.6% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Georgia has a property crime rate of 1,779 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 1,591 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 13.2% less for a home
The median home value in Georgia is $272,900 as of 2023, compared to $236,800 in South Dakota as of 2023.
pay 30.2% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Georgia is $1,306 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $912 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 10.7 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Georgia takes 28.3 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 26.3% less likely to be uninsured
In Georgia, 11.8% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 8.7% as of 2023.
be 10.3% less likely to be physically inactive
In Georgia, 25.3% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 22.7% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 93.6% less densely populated
Georgia has a population density of 73.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 23.5% less likely to be food insecure
In Georgia, 10.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In South Dakota, that number is 7.8% as of 2021.
be 61.1% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Georgia, 5.4% 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.
