Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of New Jersey, you would:
Health
live 0.8 years less
In New Jersey, 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.
be 18.7% more likely to be obese
In New Jersey, 30.0% of adults are obese as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 35.6% of people as of 2022.
Economy
be 46.7% less likely to be unemployed
In New Jersey, 4.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
make 12.8% less money
New Jersey has a GDP per capita of $70,788 as of 2024, while in South Dakota, the GDP per capita is $61,724 as of 2024.
be 20.4% more likely to live below the poverty line
In New Jersey, 9.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Dakota, however, that number is 11.2% as of 2023.
Safety
be 59.6% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
New Jersey has a violent crime rate of 215 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 344 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 44.6% less for a home
The median home value in New Jersey is $427,600 as of 2023, compared to $236,800 in South Dakota as of 2023.
pay 44.8% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in New Jersey is $1,653 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $912 as of 2023.
earn 28.3% less money
The median household income in New Jersey is $101,050 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $72,421 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 13.3 minutes less
The average one-way commute in New Jersey takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 99.0% less densely populated
New Jersey has a population density of 488.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 22.5% more likely to be uninsured
In New Jersey, 7.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 8.7% as of 2023.
be 33.6% more likely to smoke
In New Jersey, 11.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 15.9% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 2.4 years older on average
The median age in New Jersey is 40.1 years as of 2023. In South Dakota, the median age is 37.7 years as of 2023.
be 31.7% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In New Jersey, 29.0% 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 78.8% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In New Jersey, 9.9% 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.
