Quality of life comparison
If you lived in California instead of South Dakota, you would:
Health
live 2.3 years longer
In South Dakota, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In California, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 20.2% less likely to be obese
In South Dakota, 35.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In California, that number is 28.4% of people as of 2022.
be 25.6% more likely to have diabetes
In South Dakota, 8.6% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In California, that number is 10.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 36.1% more money
South Dakota has a GDP per capita of $61,724 as of 2024, while in California, the GDP per capita is $84,028 as of 2024.
be 2.1 times more likely to be unemployed
In South Dakota, 2.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In California, that number is 5.1% as of 2025.
Safety
be 46.4% 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 California, that number is 503 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 44.7% 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 California, that number is 2,303 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 33.0% more money
The median household income in South Dakota is $72,421 as of 2023, while in California, it is $96,334 as of 2023.
pay 2.9 times more for a home
The median home value in South Dakota is $236,800 as of 2023, compared to $695,400 in California as of 2023.
pay 2.1 times more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in South Dakota is $912 as of 2023, while in California, it is $1,956 as of 2023.
be 18.7% less likely to own your home
In South Dakota, 68.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In California, that number is 55.8% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 21.8% less likely to be uninsured
In South Dakota, 8.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In California, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
be 27.0% less likely to smoke
In South Dakota, 15.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In California, that number is 11.6% as of 2022.
be 26.3% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In South Dakota, 19.8% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In California, that number is 25.0% as of 2023.
be 5.8 times 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 California, that number is 12.2% as of 2023.
commute 11.4 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in South Dakota takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023. In California, it takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 20.6 times more densely populated
South Dakota has a population density of 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023. In California, that number is 97.0 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 33.3% more likely to be food insecure
In South Dakota, 7.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In California, that number is 10.4% 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), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
