Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of Washington, you would:
Health
live 2.5 years less
In Washington, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 82 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.
be 14.5% more likely to be obese
In Washington, 31.1% of adults are obese as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 35.6% of people as of 2022.
Economy
be 54.7% less likely to be unemployed
In Washington, 5.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
make 29.7% less money
Washington has a GDP per capita of $87,768 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 Washington, 9.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Dakota, however, that number is 11.2% as of 2023.
Safety
be 43.6% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Washington has a property crime rate of 2,819 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 1,591 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 54.4% less for a home
The median home value in Washington is $519,800 as of 2023, compared to $236,800 in South Dakota as of 2023.
pay 45.8% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Washington is $1,682 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $912 as of 2023.
earn 23.7% less money
The median household income in Washington is $94,952 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $72,421 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 9.4 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Washington takes 27.0 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 89.7% less densely populated
Washington has a population density of 45.6 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 42.6% more likely to be uninsured
In Washington, 6.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 8.7% as of 2023.
be 45.9% more likely to smoke
In Washington, 10.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 15.9% as of 2022.
be 32.0% more likely to be physically inactive
In Washington, 17.2% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 22.7% as of 2022.
be 24.4% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Washington, 26.2% 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 72.4% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Washington, 7.6% 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.
