Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Washington instead of South Dakota, you would:
Health
live 2.5 years longer
In South Dakota, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Washington, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
be 12.6% less likely to be obese
In South Dakota, 35.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Washington, that number is 31.1% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 42.2% more money
South Dakota has a GDP per capita of $61,724 as of 2024, while in Washington, the GDP per capita is $87,768 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 Washington, however, that number is 9.4% as of 2023.
be 2.2 times more likely to be unemployed
In South Dakota, 2.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Washington, that number is 5.3% as of 2025.
Safety
be 77.2% 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 Washington, that number is 2,819 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 31.1% more money
The median household income in South Dakota is $72,421 as of 2023, while in Washington, it is $94,952 as of 2023.
pay 2.2 times more for a home
The median home value in South Dakota is $236,800 as of 2023, compared to $519,800 in Washington as of 2023.
pay 84.4% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in South Dakota is $912 as of 2023, while in Washington, it is $1,682 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 29.9% less likely to be uninsured
In South Dakota, 8.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Washington, that number is 6.1% as of 2023.
be 31.4% less likely to smoke
In South Dakota, 15.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Washington, that number is 10.9% as of 2022.
be 24.2% less likely to be physically inactive
In South Dakota, 22.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Washington, that number is 17.2% as of 2022.
be 32.3% 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 Washington, that number is 26.2% as of 2023.
be 3.6 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 Washington, that number is 7.6% as of 2023.
commute 9.4 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in South Dakota takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023. In Washington, it takes 27.0 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 9.7 times more densely populated
South Dakota has a population density of 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023. In Washington, that number is 45.6 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 10.3% more likely to be food insecure
In South Dakota, 7.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Washington, that number is 8.6% 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.
