Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Kentucky instead of South Dakota, you would:
Health
live 3.2 years less
In South Dakota, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Kentucky, that number is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
be 38.4% more likely to have diabetes
In South Dakota, 8.6% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Kentucky, that number is 11.9% as of 2022.
Economy
make 18.8% less money
South Dakota has a GDP per capita of $61,724 as of 2024, while in Kentucky, the GDP per capita is $50,135 as of 2024.
be 45.8% more likely to be unemployed
In South Dakota, 2.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Kentucky, that number is 3.5% as of 2025.
be 37.5% more likely to live below the poverty line
In South Dakota, 11.2% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Kentucky, however, that number is 15.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 35.9% 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 Kentucky, that number is 220 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 18.8% less for a home
The median home value in South Dakota is $236,800 as of 2023, compared to $192,300 in Kentucky as of 2023.
earn 13.8% less money
The median household income in South Dakota is $72,421 as of 2023, while in Kentucky, it is $62,417 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 34.5% less likely to be uninsured
In South Dakota, 8.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 5.7% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.4 years older on average
The median age in South Dakota is 37.7 years as of 2023. In Kentucky, the median age is 39.1 years as of 2023.
be 19.0% 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 Kentucky, that number is 2.5% as of 2023.
commute 6.4 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in South Dakota takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023. In Kentucky, it takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 17.6% more likely to smoke
In South Dakota, 15.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Kentucky, that number is 18.7% as of 2022.
be 13.7% more likely to be physically inactive
In South Dakota, 22.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Kentucky, that number is 25.8% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 9.4 times more densely populated
South Dakota has a population density of 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 44.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 61.5% more likely to be food insecure
In South Dakota, 7.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Kentucky, that number is 12.6% 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), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
