Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Michigan instead of South Dakota, you would:
Health
be 16.3% more likely to have diabetes
In South Dakota, 8.6% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Michigan, that number is 10.0% as of 2022.
Economy
make 10.1% less money
South Dakota has a GDP per capita of $61,724 as of 2024, while in Michigan, the GDP per capita is $55,508 as of 2024.
be 100.0% more likely to be unemployed
In South Dakota, 2.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Michigan, that number is 4.8% as of 2025.
be 13.4% more likely to live below the poverty line
In South Dakota, 11.2% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Michigan, however, that number is 12.7% as of 2023.
Safety
be 31.8% more 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 Michigan, that number is 453 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 18.9% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in South Dakota is $912 as of 2023, while in Michigan, it is $1,084 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 43.7% less likely to be uninsured
In South Dakota, 8.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Michigan, that number is 4.9% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 2.4 years older on average
The median age in South Dakota is 37.7 years as of 2023. In Michigan, the median age is 40.1 years as of 2023.
be 10.6% 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 Michigan, that number is 21.9% 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 Michigan, that number is 3.1% as of 2023.
commute 6.8 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in South Dakota takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023. In Michigan, it takes 24.4 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 14.6 times more densely populated
South Dakota has a population density of 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023. In Michigan, that number is 68.5 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 48.7% more likely to be food insecure
In South Dakota, 7.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Michigan, that number is 11.6% 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.
