Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of Michigan, you would:
Health
be 14.0% less likely to have diabetes
In Michigan, 10.0% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 8.6% as of 2022.
Economy
make 11.2% more money
Michigan has a GDP per capita of $55,508 as of 2024, while in South Dakota, the GDP per capita is $61,724 as of 2024.
be 50.0% less likely to be unemployed
In Michigan, 4.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
be 11.8% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Michigan, 12.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Dakota, however, that number is 11.2% as of 2023.
Safety
be 24.1% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Michigan has a violent crime rate of 453 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 344 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 15.9% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Michigan is $1,084 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $912 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 6.8 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Michigan takes 24.4 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 93.1% less densely populated
Michigan has a population density of 68.5 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 32.8% less likely to be food insecure
In Michigan, 11.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In South Dakota, that number is 7.8% as of 2021.
be 77.6% more likely to be uninsured
In Michigan, 4.9% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 8.7% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 2.4 years older on average
The median age in Michigan is 40.1 years as of 2023. In South Dakota, the median age is 37.7 years as of 2023.
be 32.3% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Michigan, 3.1% 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.
