Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Georgia instead of South Dakota, you would:
Health
live 1.1 years less
In South Dakota, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Georgia, that number is 76 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
be 37.2% more likely to have diabetes
In South Dakota, 8.6% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Georgia, that number is 11.8% as of 2022.
Economy
be 37.5% more likely to be unemployed
In South Dakota, 2.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Georgia, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.
be 12.5% more likely to live below the poverty line
In South Dakota, 11.2% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Georgia, however, that number is 12.6% as of 2023.
Safety
be 11.8% 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 Georgia, that number is 1,779 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 15.2% more for a home
The median home value in South Dakota is $236,800 as of 2023, compared to $272,900 in Georgia as of 2023.
pay 43.2% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in South Dakota is $912 as of 2023, while in Georgia, it is $1,306 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 10.6% 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 Georgia, that number is 21.9% as of 2023.
be 2.6 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 Georgia, that number is 5.4% as of 2023.
commute 10.7 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in South Dakota takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023. In Georgia, it takes 28.3 minutes as of 2023.
be 35.6% more likely to be uninsured
In South Dakota, 8.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Georgia, that number is 11.8% as of 2023.
be 11.5% more likely to be physically inactive
In South Dakota, 22.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Georgia, that number is 25.3% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 15.7 times more densely populated
South Dakota has a population density of 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023. In Georgia, that number is 73.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 30.8% more likely to be food insecure
In South Dakota, 7.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Georgia, that number is 10.2% 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), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
