Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of Idaho, you would:
Health
live 1.7 years less
In Idaho, 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.
Economy
make 25.8% more money
Idaho has a GDP per capita of $49,054 as of 2024, while in South Dakota, the GDP per capita is $61,724 as of 2024.
be 31.4% less likely to be unemployed
In Idaho, 3.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
be 15.5% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Idaho, 9.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Dakota, however, that number is 11.2% as of 2023.
Safety
be 51.8% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Idaho has a violent crime rate of 226 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 344 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 2.0 times more likely to be a victim of property crime
Idaho has a property crime rate of 784 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 1,591 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 37.0% less for a home
The median home value in Idaho is $376,000 as of 2023, compared to $236,800 in South Dakota as of 2023.
pay 20.7% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Idaho is $1,150 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $912 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 4.0 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Idaho takes 21.6 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 48.9% less densely populated
Idaho has a population density of 9.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 16.9% more likely to smoke
In Idaho, 13.6% of adults smoke as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 15.9% as of 2022.
be 27.6% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Idaho, 2.9% 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: 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.
