Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Mexico instead of South Dakota, you would:
Health
live 2.2 years less
In South Dakota, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In New Mexico, that number is 74 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
be 25.6% more likely to have diabetes
In South Dakota, 8.6% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In New Mexico, that number is 10.8% as of 2022.
Economy
be 75.0% more likely to be unemployed
In South Dakota, 2.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New Mexico, that number is 4.2% as of 2025.
be 58.0% more likely to live below the poverty line
In South Dakota, 11.2% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New Mexico, however, that number is 17.7% as of 2023.
Safety
be 2.2 times 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 New Mexico, that number is 745 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 80.5% more 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 New Mexico, that number is 2,872 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 14.2% less money
The median household income in South Dakota is $72,421 as of 2023, while in New Mexico, it is $62,125 as of 2023.
pay 12.0% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in South Dakota is $912 as of 2023, while in New Mexico, it is $1,021 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live among residents who are 1.5 years older on average
The median age in South Dakota is 37.7 years as of 2023. In New Mexico, the median age is 39.2 years as of 2023.
be 2.4 times 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 New Mexico, that number is 5.1% as of 2023.
commute 5.6 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in South Dakota takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023. In New Mexico, it takes 23.2 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 44.7% more densely populated
South Dakota has a population density of 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 6.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 71.8% more likely to be food insecure
In South Dakota, 7.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In New Mexico, that number is 13.4% 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), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
