Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of North Carolina, you would:
Health
be 19.6% less likely to have diabetes
In North Carolina, 10.7% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 8.6% as of 2022.
Economy
be 29.4% less likely to be unemployed
In North Carolina, 3.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
Safety
be 20.4% less likely to be a victim of property crime
North Carolina has a property crime rate of 1,998 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 1,591 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 21.5% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in North Carolina is $1,162 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $912 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 7.5 minutes less
The average one-way commute in North Carolina takes 25.1 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 94.5% less densely populated
North Carolina has a population density of 86.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 30.4% less likely to be food insecure
In North Carolina, 11.2% 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 1.4 years older on average
The median age in North Carolina is 39.1 years as of 2023. In South Dakota, the median age is 37.7 years as of 2023.
be 12.0% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In North Carolina, 22.5% 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 56.2% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In North Carolina, 4.8% 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), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
