Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 37.6% less likely to be obese

In South Dakota, 35.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Iceland, that number is 22.2% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Economy

make 59.3% more money

South Dakota has a GDP per capita of $61,724 as of 2024, while in Iceland, the GDP per capita is $98,323 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

be 50.8% more likely to be unemployed

In South Dakota, 2.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Iceland, that number is 3.6% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 10.7% more likely to have internet access

In South Dakota, approximately 88.7% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In Iceland, about 98.2% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023). How we calculate this

Compare further: South Dakota vs. Iceland

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Iceland is 62.9% more expensive than South Dakota
→
Size Comparison · See true size
South Dakota is about 1.9 times bigger than Iceland.
→

Iceland: At a glance

Iceland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 100,250 sq km. Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Denmark granted limited home rule in 1874 and complete independence in 1944. The second half of the 20th century saw substantial economic growth driven primarily by the fishing industry. The economy diversified greatly after the country joined the European Economic Area in 1994, but Iceland was especially hard hit by the global financial crisis in the years following 2008. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are first rate by world standards.
Read more

How big is Iceland 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 Iceland 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.