Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of Minnesota, you would:
Health
live 2.4 years less
In Minnesota, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 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 44.2% less likely to be unemployed
In Minnesota, 4.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
be 27.3% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Minnesota, 8.8% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Dakota, however, that number is 11.2% as of 2023.
Safety
be 33.8% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Minnesota has a violent crime rate of 257 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 344 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 22.5% less for a home
The median home value in Minnesota is $305,500 as of 2023, compared to $236,800 in South Dakota as of 2023.
pay 26.2% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Minnesota is $1,235 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $912 as of 2023.
earn 17.3% less money
The median household income in Minnesota is $87,556 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $72,421 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 5.5 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Minnesota takes 23.1 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 83.2% less densely populated
Minnesota has a population density of 27.9 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 93.3% more likely to be uninsured
In Minnesota, 4.5% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 8.7% as of 2023.
be 14.4% more likely to smoke
In Minnesota, 13.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 15.9% as of 2022.
be 16.4% more likely to be physically inactive
In Minnesota, 19.5% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 22.7% as of 2022.
be 23.8% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Minnesota, 26.0% 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 40.0% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Minnesota, 3.5% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 2.1% as of 2023.
be 16.4% more likely to be food insecure
In Minnesota, 6.7% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In South Dakota, that number is 7.8% as of 2021.
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.
