Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of Indiana, you would:
Health
live 1.7 years longer
In Indiana, the average life expectancy is 75 years (74 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 23.9% less likely to have diabetes
In Indiana, 11.3% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 8.6% as of 2022.
Economy
be 11.1% less likely to be unemployed
In Indiana, 2.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
Housing & Income
pay 10.6% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Indiana is $1,020 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $912 as of 2023.
pay 17.5% more for a home
The median home value in Indiana is $201,600 as of 2023, compared to $236,800 in South Dakota as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 6.4 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Indiana takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 12.6% less likely to smoke
In Indiana, 18.2% of adults smoke as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 15.9% as of 2022.
be 17.5% less likely to be physically inactive
In Indiana, 27.5% 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 93.7% less densely populated
Indiana has a population density of 74.1 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 25.7% less likely to be food insecure
In Indiana, 10.5% 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 Indiana, 7.3% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 8.7% as of 2023.
be 38.2% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Indiana, 3.4% 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).
