Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of Wisconsin, you would:
Health
live 1.0 years less
In Wisconsin, the average life expectancy is 78 years (77 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.
Economy
be 20.0% less likely to be unemployed
In Wisconsin, 3.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
Safety
be 20.4% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Wisconsin has a violent crime rate of 286 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 344 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 32.1% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Wisconsin has a property crime rate of 1,204 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 1,591 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 12.7% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Wisconsin is $1,045 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $912 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 4.6 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Wisconsin takes 22.2 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 88.9% less densely populated
Wisconsin has a population density of 42.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 67.3% more likely to be uninsured
In Wisconsin, 5.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 8.7% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 2.4 years older on average
The median age in Wisconsin is 40.1 years as of 2023. In South Dakota, the median age is 37.7 years as of 2023.
be 11.2% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Wisconsin, 22.3% 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 19.2% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Wisconsin, 2.6% 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, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
