Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of Ohio, you would:
Health
live 1.4 years longer
In Ohio, the average life expectancy is 75 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 27.1% less likely to have diabetes
In Ohio, 11.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 8.6% as of 2022.
Economy
be 40.0% less likely to be unemployed
In Ohio, 4.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
be 12.5% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Ohio, 12.8% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Dakota, however, that number is 11.2% as of 2023.
Safety
be 21.1% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Ohio has a violent crime rate of 284 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 344 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 18.9% more for a home
The median home value in Ohio is $199,200 as of 2023, compared to $236,800 in South Dakota as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 6.0 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Ohio takes 23.6 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 15.4% less likely to smoke
In Ohio, 18.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 15.9% as of 2022.
be 11.7% less likely to be physically inactive
In Ohio, 25.7% 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 95.8% less densely populated
Ohio has a population density of 111.5 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 33.3% less likely to be food insecure
In Ohio, 11.7% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In South Dakota, that number is 7.8% as of 2021.
be 40.3% more likely to be uninsured
In Ohio, 6.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 8.7% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.9 years older on average
The median age in Ohio is 39.6 years as of 2023. In South Dakota, the median age is 37.7 years 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.
