Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of Rhode Island, you would:
Health
be 15.7% less likely to have diabetes
In Rhode Island, 10.2% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 8.6% as of 2022.
live 1.5 years less
In Rhode Island, the average life expectancy is 78 years (77 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 12.7% more likely to be obese
In Rhode Island, 31.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 35.6% of people as of 2022.
Economy
be 45.5% less likely to be unemployed
In Rhode Island, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
Safety
be 2.1 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Rhode Island has a violent crime rate of 165 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 344 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 44.3% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Rhode Island has a property crime rate of 1,102 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 1,591 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 35.8% less for a home
The median home value in Rhode Island is $368,800 as of 2023, compared to $236,800 in South Dakota as of 2023.
pay 28.4% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Rhode Island is $1,273 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $912 as of 2023.
earn 16.2% less money
The median household income in Rhode Island is $86,372 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $72,421 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 7.9 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Rhode Island takes 25.5 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 98.8% less densely populated
Rhode Island has a population density of 407.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 15.2% less likely to be food insecure
In Rhode Island, 9.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In South Dakota, that number is 7.8% as of 2021.
be 2.1 times more likely to be uninsured
In Rhode Island, 4.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 8.7% as of 2023.
be 16.1% more likely to smoke
In Rhode Island, 13.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 15.9% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 2.8 years older on average
The median age in Rhode Island is 40.5 years as of 2023. In South Dakota, the median age is 37.7 years as of 2023.
be 23.8% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Rhode Island, 26.0% 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 68.2% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Rhode Island, 6.6% 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.
