Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Greece instead of South Dakota, you would:

Health

live 4.8 years longer

In South Dakota, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Greece, that number is 81 years (79 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Economy

make 41.2% less money

South Dakota has a GDP per capita of $61,724 as of 2024, while in Greece, the GDP per capita is $36,300 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 4.6 times more likely to be unemployed

In South Dakota, 2.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Greece, that number is 11.0% as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 67.9% more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Dakota, 11.2% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Greece, however, that number is 18.8% as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 12.1% less likely to have internet access

In South Dakota, approximately 88.7% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In Greece, about 78.0% do as of 2021.

View global rankings →

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Compare further: South Dakota vs. Greece
Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Greece is 5.1% cheaper than South Dakota
→
Size Comparison · See true size
South Dakota is about 1.5 times bigger than Greece.
→
City Size Comparison · See true size
Compare the size of Los Angeles vs Athens
→

Greece: At a glance

Greece is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 130,647 sq km. Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between supporters of the king and other anti-communist and communist rebels. Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. In 1967, a group of military officers seized power, establishing a military dictatorship that suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country. In 1974, democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981, Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European Economic and Monetary Union in 2001. In 2010, the prospect of a Greek default on its euro-denominated debt created severe strains within the EMU and raised the question of whether a member country might voluntarily leave the common currency or be removed.
Read more

How big is Greece compared to South Dakota? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Greece or United States. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.