Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Indiana instead of South Dakota, you would:
Health
live 1.7 years less
In South Dakota, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Indiana, that number is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
be 31.4% more likely to have diabetes
In South Dakota, 8.6% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Indiana, that number is 11.3% as of 2022.
Economy
be 12.5% more likely to be unemployed
In South Dakota, 2.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Indiana, that number is 2.7% as of 2025.
Housing & Income
pay 14.9% less for a home
The median home value in South Dakota is $236,800 as of 2023, compared to $201,600 in Indiana as of 2023.
pay 11.8% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in South Dakota is $912 as of 2023, while in Indiana, it is $1,020 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 16.1% less likely to be uninsured
In South Dakota, 8.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Indiana, that number is 7.3% as of 2023.
be 61.9% 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 Indiana, that number is 3.4% as of 2023.
commute 6.4 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in South Dakota takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023. In Indiana, it takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 14.5% more likely to smoke
In South Dakota, 15.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Indiana, that number is 18.2% as of 2022.
be 21.1% more likely to be physically inactive
In South Dakota, 22.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Indiana, that number is 27.5% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 15.8 times more densely populated
South Dakota has a population density of 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023. In Indiana, that number is 74.1 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 34.6% more likely to be food insecure
In South Dakota, 7.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Indiana, that number is 10.5% 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).
