Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of New Mexico, you would:
Health
live 2.2 years longer
In New Mexico, the average life expectancy is 74 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 20.4% less likely to have diabetes
In New Mexico, 10.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 8.6% as of 2022.
be 10.6% more likely to be obese
In New Mexico, 32.2% of adults are obese as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 35.6% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 10.2% more money
New Mexico has a GDP per capita of $56,008 as of 2024, while in South Dakota, the GDP per capita is $61,724 as of 2024.
be 42.9% less likely to be unemployed
In New Mexico, 4.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
be 36.7% less likely to live below the poverty line
In New Mexico, 17.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Dakota, however, that number is 11.2% as of 2023.
Safety
be 53.9% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
New Mexico has a violent crime rate of 745 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 344 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 44.6% less likely to be a victim of property crime
New Mexico has a property crime rate of 2,872 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 1,591 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 16.6% more money
The median household income in New Mexico is $62,125 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $72,421 as of 2023.
pay 10.7% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in New Mexico is $1,021 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $912 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 5.6 minutes less
The average one-way commute in New Mexico takes 23.2 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 30.9% less densely populated
New Mexico has a population density of 6.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 41.8% less likely to be food insecure
In New Mexico, 13.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In South Dakota, that number is 7.8% as of 2021.
live among residents who are 1.5 years older on average
The median age in New Mexico is 39.2 years as of 2023. In South Dakota, the median age is 37.7 years as of 2023.
be 58.8% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In New Mexico, 5.1% 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.
