Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Maine instead of South Dakota, you would:
Health
live 1.1 years longer
In South Dakota, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Maine, that number is 78 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 11.0% less money
South Dakota has a GDP per capita of $61,724 as of 2024, while in Maine, the GDP per capita is $54,958 as of 2024.
be 33.3% more likely to be unemployed
In South Dakota, 2.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Maine, that number is 3.2% as of 2025.
Safety
be 70.6% 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 Maine, that number is 101 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 30.5% 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 Maine, that number is 1,105 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 12.5% more for a home
The median home value in South Dakota is $236,800 as of 2023, compared to $266,400 in Maine as of 2023.
pay 18.9% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in South Dakota is $912 as of 2023, while in Maine, it is $1,084 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 26.4% less likely to be uninsured
In South Dakota, 8.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Maine, that number is 6.4% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 7.1 years older on average
The median age in South Dakota is 37.7 years as of 2023. In Maine, the median age is 44.8 years as of 2023.
be 28.3% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In South Dakota, 19.8% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Maine, that number is 25.4% as of 2023.
commute 6.8 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in South Dakota takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023. In Maine, it takes 24.4 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 3.7 times more densely populated
South Dakota has a population density of 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023. In Maine, that number is 17.5 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 19.0% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In South Dakota, 2.1% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Maine, that number is 1.7% as of 2023.
be 30.8% more likely to be food insecure
In South Dakota, 7.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Maine, that number is 10.2% as of 2021.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
