Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of Virginia, you would:
Health
be 25.2% less likely to have diabetes
In Virginia, 11.5% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 8.6% as of 2022.
live 0.9 years less
In Virginia, the average life expectancy is 78 years (77 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In South Dakota, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
be 29.4% less likely to be unemployed
In Virginia, 3.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
make 10.7% less money
Virginia has a GDP per capita of $69,111 as of 2024, while in South Dakota, the GDP per capita is $61,724 as of 2024.
be 19.1% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Virginia, 9.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Dakota, however, that number is 11.2% as of 2023.
Safety
be 48.3% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Virginia has a violent crime rate of 232 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 344 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 34.3% less for a home
The median home value in Virginia is $360,700 as of 2023, compared to $236,800 in South Dakota as of 2023.
pay 39.8% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Virginia is $1,514 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $912 as of 2023.
earn 20.4% less money
The median household income in Virginia is $90,974 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $72,421 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 10.0 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Virginia takes 27.6 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 94.5% less densely populated
Virginia has a population density of 85.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 29.9% more likely to be uninsured
In Virginia, 6.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 8.7% as of 2023.
be 16.1% more likely to smoke
In Virginia, 13.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 15.9% as of 2022.
be 28.8% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Virginia, 27.8% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 19.8% as of 2023.
be 61.8% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Virginia, 5.5% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 2.1% 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.
