Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of Mississippi, you would:
Health
live 4.8 years longer
In Mississippi, the average life expectancy is 72 years (71 years for men, 78 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 15.0% less likely to be obese
In Mississippi, 41.9% of adults are obese as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 35.6% of people as of 2022.
be 36.8% less likely to have diabetes
In Mississippi, 13.6% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 8.6% as of 2022.
Economy
make 47.7% more money
Mississippi has a GDP per capita of $41,778 as of 2024, while in South Dakota, the GDP per capita is $61,724 as of 2024.
be 22.6% less likely to be unemployed
In Mississippi, 3.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
be 39.1% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Mississippi, 18.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Dakota, however, that number is 11.2% as of 2023.
Safety
be 70.4% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Mississippi has a violent crime rate of 202 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 344 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 31.9% more money
The median household income in Mississippi is $54,915 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $72,421 as of 2023.
pay 46.7% more for a home
The median home value in Mississippi is $161,400 as of 2023, compared to $236,800 in South Dakota as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 8.0 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Mississippi takes 25.6 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 23.0% less likely to be uninsured
In Mississippi, 11.3% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 8.7% as of 2023.
be 15.4% less likely to smoke
In Mississippi, 18.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 15.9% as of 2022.
be 28.4% less likely to be physically inactive
In Mississippi, 31.7% 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 80.6% less densely populated
Mississippi has a population density of 24.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 23.0% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Mississippi, 16.1% 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 50.0% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Mississippi, 1.4% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 2.1% as of 2023.
be 52.1% less likely to be food insecure
In Mississippi, 16.3% 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), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
