Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Alaska instead of South Dakota, you would:
Health
be 10.4% less likely to be obese
In South Dakota, 35.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Alaska, that number is 31.9% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 22.9% more money
South Dakota has a GDP per capita of $61,724 as of 2024, while in Alaska, the GDP per capita is $75,882 as of 2024.
be 11.6% less likely to live below the poverty line
In South Dakota, 11.2% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Alaska, however, that number is 9.9% as of 2023.
be 2.1 times more likely to be unemployed
In South Dakota, 2.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Alaska, that number is 5.0% as of 2025.
Safety
be 2.1 times 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 Alaska, that number is 722 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 17.4% more likely to be a victim of property crime
South Dakota has a property crime rate of 1,591 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 1,868 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 23.4% more money
The median household income in South Dakota is $72,421 as of 2023, while in Alaska, it is $89,336 as of 2023.
pay 40.8% more for a home
The median home value in South Dakota is $236,800 as of 2023, compared to $333,300 in Alaska as of 2023.
pay 52.2% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in South Dakota is $912 as of 2023, while in Alaska, it is $1,388 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live in an area that is 89.4% less densely populated
South Dakota has a population density of 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 0.5 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 42.9% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In South Dakota, 2.1% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 3.0% as of 2023.
commute 1.9 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in South Dakota takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023. In Alaska, it takes 19.5 minutes as of 2023.
be 23.0% more likely to be uninsured
In South Dakota, 8.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 10.7% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 2.1 years older on average
The median age in South Dakota is 37.7 years as of 2023. In Alaska, the median age is 35.6 years as of 2023.
be 35.9% more likely to be food insecure
In South Dakota, 7.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Alaska, that number is 10.6% 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), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
