Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Virginia instead of South Dakota, you would:
Health
live 0.9 years longer
In South Dakota, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Virginia, that number is 78 years (77 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.
be 33.7% more likely to have diabetes
In South Dakota, 8.6% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Virginia, that number is 11.5% as of 2022.
Economy
make 12.0% more money
South Dakota has a GDP per capita of $61,724 as of 2024, while in Virginia, the GDP per capita is $69,111 as of 2024.
be 16.1% less likely to live below the poverty line
In South Dakota, 11.2% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Virginia, however, that number is 9.4% as of 2023.
be 41.7% more likely to be unemployed
In South Dakota, 2.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Virginia, that number is 3.4% as of 2025.
Safety
be 32.5% 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 Virginia, that number is 232 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 25.6% more money
The median household income in South Dakota is $72,421 as of 2023, while in Virginia, it is $90,974 as of 2023.
pay 52.3% more for a home
The median home value in South Dakota is $236,800 as of 2023, compared to $360,700 in Virginia as of 2023.
pay 66.0% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in South Dakota is $912 as of 2023, while in Virginia, it is $1,514 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 23.0% less likely to be uninsured
In South Dakota, 8.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Virginia, that number is 6.7% as of 2023.
be 13.8% less likely to smoke
In South Dakota, 15.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Virginia, that number is 13.7% as of 2022.
be 40.4% 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 Virginia, that number is 27.8% as of 2023.
be 2.6 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 Virginia, that number is 5.5% as of 2023.
commute 10.0 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in South Dakota takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023. In Virginia, it takes 27.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 18.1 times more densely populated
South Dakota has a population density of 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023. In Virginia, that number is 85.2 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), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
