Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Alabama instead of South Dakota, you would:
Health
live 3.5 years less
In South Dakota, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Alabama, that number is 73 years (72 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
be 11.2% more likely to be obese
In South Dakota, 35.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Alabama, that number is 39.6% of people as of 2022.
be 48.8% more likely to have diabetes
In South Dakota, 8.6% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Alabama, that number is 12.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 20.2% less money
South Dakota has a GDP per capita of $61,724 as of 2024, while in Alabama, the GDP per capita is $49,225 as of 2024.
be 32.1% more likely to live below the poverty line
In South Dakota, 11.2% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Alabama, however, that number is 14.8% as of 2023.
Safety
be 15.6% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
South Dakota has a violent crime rate of 344 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 397 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 17.6% less for a home
The median home value in South Dakota is $236,800 as of 2023, compared to $195,100 in Alabama as of 2023.
earn 14.4% less money
The median household income in South Dakota is $72,421 as of 2023, while in Alabama, it is $62,027 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live among residents who are 1.6 years older on average
The median age in South Dakota is 37.7 years as of 2023. In Alabama, the median age is 39.3 years as of 2023.
commute 7.8 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in South Dakota takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023. In Alabama, it takes 25.4 minutes as of 2023.
be 22.9% more likely to be physically inactive
In South Dakota, 22.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Alabama, that number is 27.9% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 8.3 times more densely populated
South Dakota has a population density of 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023. In Alabama, that number is 38.9 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 84.6% more likely to be food insecure
In South Dakota, 7.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Alabama, that number is 14.4% as of 2021.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
