Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Iowa instead of South Dakota, you would:
Health
live 0.8 years longer
In South Dakota, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Iowa, that number is 78 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
be 15.1% more likely to have diabetes
In South Dakota, 8.6% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Iowa, that number is 9.9% 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 Iowa, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.
Safety
be 19.4% less 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 Iowa, that number is 277 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 10.3% less 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 Iowa, that number is 1,427 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 17.3% less for a home
The median home value in South Dakota is $236,800 as of 2023, compared to $195,900 in Iowa as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 46.0% less likely to be uninsured
In South Dakota, 8.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 4.7% as of 2023.
be 47.6% 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 Iowa, that number is 3.1% as of 2023.
commute 2.2 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in South Dakota takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023. In Iowa, it takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 4.7 times more densely populated
South Dakota has a population density of 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023. In Iowa, that number is 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
