South Dakota
Population899,194
Counties66county-level areas on the 2024 Census map
Density4.6people per km² of land
Median household income$72,42139th percentile of states
How it has changed
The state’s own figures from 2010 to 2024. A measure published for only one year shows as a single point instead of a line.
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The state figure, and the range across its counties
The state figure is the one its own agency publishes. It is never an average of the counties. You cannot average medians (middle values) to get a new median, and a rate has to be worked out again from the added-up counts. The county range next to it shows what a single state number has to hide.
Sometimes fewer counties report than the state has. The missing ones were held back because their counts were too small to publish — mostly deaths. A range from only part of the state is not the state’s full range. It can even sit entirely above or below the state figure. So the number of counties reporting is shown next to it.
You can sort by any column. 43 of these 180 measures have a clear better end, and those are ranked best first. For example, the lowest infant death rate is first place, and so is the highest life expectancy. The rest have no better end, so they are ranked highest first, and the cell says “highest” instead of “best”. A state is not winning or losing by how much of its tax comes from severance taxes (taxes on oil, gas and minerals taken from the ground).
| Alcohol-involved share of driving deaths | 0.34% | 44th best of 51 | 0% | 0.355% | 1% | 45 |
| Always wears a seatbelt | 86.2 | 48th best of 49 | — | — | — | — |
| Arrivals per 100 people staying | 3.73 | 17th highest of 51 | 1.85 | 4.34 | 11.8 | 62 |
| Arrivals per 100 staying, $200,000 or more | 3.03 | 19th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Binge drinking | 21.8 | 45th best of 49 | — | — | — | — |
| Births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 50 | 65.2 | 1st highest of 52 | 34.3 | 80.9 | 137 | 26 |
| Black Protestant adherents | 0.1 | 44th highest of 51 | 0 | 0 | 5.35 | 66 |
| Black-white residential segregation | 66.5 | 17th highest of 51 | 30.7 | 57.2 | 60.9 | 8 |
| Business closing rate | 8.35 | 40th highest of 51 | 0 | 8.48 | 17.4 | 66 |
| Business opening rate | 9.53 | 30th highest of 51 | 0 | 8.45 | 14.3 | 66 |
| Catholic adherents | 15 | 26th highest of 51 | 2.38 | 16.6 | 83.5 | 66 |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.4 | 24th highest of 49 | — | — | — | — |
| Child mortality | 67.8 | 46th best of 51 | 28.9 | 70.5 | 208 | 13 |
| Child poverty rate, ages 0-17 | 13.5% | 23rd best of 51 | 3.8% | 13.3% | 55.7% | 66 |
| Children in single-parent households | 0.206% | 40th highest of 51 | 0.084% | 0.181% | 0.592% | 42 |
| Congregations per 10,000 people | 21.9 | 4th highest of 51 | 10.3 | 39 | 98.2 | 66 |
| Current asthma | 9.35 | 11th best of 47 | — | — | — | — |
| Current smoking | 16.9 | 41st best of 49 | — | — | — | — |
| Departures per 100 people staying | 3.4 | 15th highest of 51 | 1.97 | 4.71 | 11.3 | 65 |
| Departures per 100 staying, $200,000 or more | 2.19 | 32nd highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Depression | 24 | 34th best of 49 | — | — | — | — |
| Difficulty concentrating or deciding | 14.6 | 29th best of 49 | — | — | — | — |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.4 | 19th best of 47 | — | — | — | — |
| Disability-free score | -0.231 | 26th highest of 47 | -5.31 | 0.495 | 1.41 | 66 |
| Drug overdose deaths | 10.5 | 1st best of 51 | 7.43 | 12.6 | 15.3 | 3 |
| Effective general sales tax rate | 3.19 | 10th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Effective individual income tax rate | 0 | 51st highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Effective property tax rate | 1.09 | 19th highest of 52 | 0.585 | 1.08 | 2.23 | 62 |
| Effective property tax rate on income | 2.34 | 35th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Evangelical Protestant adherents | 20.2 | 15th highest of 51 | 0 | 17.3 | 59 | 66 |
| Fair or poor health | 17.2 | 18th best of 49 | — | — | — | — |
| Fine particulate matter | 5.4 | 5th best of 51 | 3.3 | 5.4 | 6.8 | 65 |
| Firearm fatalities | 13.9 | 22nd best of 51 | 7.77 | 16.7 | 40.6 | 12 |
| Firearm share of suicides, standardised | 93.4 | 38th highest of 51 | 82.2 | 103 | 152 | 12 |
| Firearm suicide rate | 10.5 | 22nd highest of 51 | 6.58 | 14.1 | 29.9 | 12 |
| Flu vaccination among Medicare enrollees | 0.48% | 26th best of 51 | 0.08% | 0.36% | 0.63% | 66 |
| Gini index of income inequality | 0.447 | 7th best of 52 | 0.381 | 0.444 | 0.538 | 66 |
| Has health insurance | 91.2 | 28th highest of 49 | — | — | — | — |
| Health score | -0.179 | 33rd highest of 49 | -3.05 | 0.264 | 1.19 | 66 |
| High blood pressure | 34.1 | 28th best of 49 | — | — | — | — |
| High cholesterol | 32.9 | 15th best of 49 | — | — | — | — |
| High school graduation | 0.816% | 44th best of 48 | 0.225% | 0.844% | 0.944% | 23 |
| Homeownership rate | 68.6% | 19th highest of 52 | 44.9% | 75.1% | 88.6% | 66 |
| Homicide rate | 4.56 | 20th best of 51 | 3.96 | 16 | 40.6 | 4 |
| Homicide rate, annual | 4.13 | 36th highest of 51 | 81.9 | 81.9 | 81.9 | 1 |
| How much faster the top bracket arrives than everyone else | 0.514 | 16th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Income gap between arrivals and departures | $10,007 | 11th highest of 51 | $-39,280 | $1,413 | $48,250 | 62 |
| Infant mortality | 6.64 | 39th best of 51 | 4.63 | 7.06 | 16.9 | 5 |
| Injury deaths | 88.2 | 22nd best of 51 | 44.8 | 92 | 276 | 50 |
| Life expectancy | 76.8 years | 27th best of 51 | 54 years | 78.1 years | 83.8 years | 61 |
| Mainline Protestant adherents | 17.9 | 2nd highest of 51 | 3.56 | 18.5 | 55.9 | 66 |
| Material security score | 0.402 | 20th highest of 51 | -3.46 | 0.562 | 1.32 | 61 |
| Mean adjusted gross income per return | $90,467 | 21st best of 51 | $40,350 | $79,130 | $171,600 | 65 |
| Mean income of arriving households | $73,753 | 32nd highest of 51 | $28,800 | $56,050 | $107,800 | 62 |
| Mean income of departing households | $63,746 | 46th highest of 51 | $21,860 | $54,060 | $118,000 | 65 |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.6 min | 1st best of 52 | 10.2 min | 17.1 min | 29.1 min | 66 |
| Median age | 37.7 years | 40th highest of 52 | 24.5 years | 41.4 years | 57.2 years | 66 |
| Median gross rent | $912 | 50th highest of 52 | $460 | $733 | $1,237 | 65 |
| Median home value | $236,800 | 35th highest of 52 | $45,200 | $156,400 | $327,200 | 66 |
| Median household income | $72,421 | 33rd best of 52 | $34,770 | $70,230 | $96,550 | 64 |
| Median household income (model-based) | $72,794 | 33rd best of 51 | $32,800 | $67,180 | $102,100 | 66 |
| Median property tax bill | 2,590 | 26th highest of 52 | $200 or less | 1,598 | 3,822 | 65 |
| Meets aerobic guidelines | 59.5 | 27th best of 49 | — | — | — | — |
| Membership organisations | 15.6 | 3rd best of 51 | 0 | 14.5 | 44.5 | 66 |
| Millionaire returns as a share of all returns | 0.468 | 15th highest of 52 | — | — | — | — |
| Millionaires' share of all income | 15.5 | 15th highest of 52 | — | — | — | — |
| Motor vehicle crash deaths | 16.6 | 40th best of 51 | 7.62 | 15.8 | 86.4 | 24 |
| Net business formation rate | 1.18 | 19th highest of 51 | -17.4 | 0 | 10.8 | 66 |
| Net domestic migration rate | 4.99 | 13th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Net migration per 100 people staying | 0.331 | 17th highest of 51 | -4.05 | -0.174 | 3.68 | 62 |
| Net migration per 100 staying, $200,000 or more | 0.849 | 13th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Obesity | 36.6 | 37th best of 49 | — | — | — | — |
| Orthodox Christian adherents | 0.24 | 24th highest of 51 | 0 | 0 | 1.07 | 66 |
| Other religion adherents | 1.88 | 49th highest of 51 | 0 | 0.685 | 12.3 | 66 |
| People per tax return | 2 | 17th highest of 51 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 66 |
| Per capita income | $38,880 | 38th best of 52 | $11,650 | $36,560 | $50,840 | 66 |
| Per capita personal income | $74,155 | 12th best of 51 | $36,690 | $74,030 | $144,900 | 66 |
| Poverty rate | 12% | 28th best of 52 | 5.77% | 11.1% | 52.8% | 61 |
| Poverty rate (model-based) | 11.4% | 23rd best of 51 | 3.3% | 11.2% | 46.2% | 66 |
| Premature mortality | 401 | 25th best of 51 | 208 | 365 | 1,949 | 62 |
| Preventable hospital stays | 2,704 | 28th best of 51 | 547 | 2,696 | 5,510 | 63 |
| Private job growth | 2.31 | 21st highest of 52 | -13.1 | 1.86 | 15.4 | 66 |
| Religious adherents | 55.4 | 9th highest of 51 | 23.7 | 61.6 | 115 | 66 |
| Republican share of the two-party vote, 2024 | 64.9 | 10th highest of 51 | 24 | 73.3 | 94 | 65 |
| Returns claiming charitable contributions | 3.47% | 49th highest of 51 | 0% | 1.99% | 7.13% | 66 |
| Returns claiming the earned income credit | 11.8% | 36th highest of 51 | 0% | 10.3% | 45.5% | 66 |
| Returns reporting capital gains | 22% | 6th highest of 51 | 2.63% | 25.4% | 46.5% | 66 |
| Returns reporting unemployment compensation | 1.2% | 46th highest of 51 | 0% | 0.947% | 3.98% | 66 |
| Safety score | -1.23 | 46th highest of 51 | -4.82 | 0.327 | 1.13 | 12 |
| Share aged 65 and over | 17.6% | 22nd highest of 52 | 7.07% | 20.5% | 32.5% | 66 |
| Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not Hispanic | 7.38% | 3rd highest of 51 | 0% | 6.49% | 91.3% | 39 |
| Share Asian, not Hispanic | 1.39% | 45th highest of 52 | 0% | 0% | 8.95% | 37 |
| Share Black, not Hispanic | 2.16% | 41st highest of 52 | 0% | 0% | 6.47% | 25 |
| Share divorced | 10.6% | 35th highest of 52 | 3.74% | 9.58% | 17.1% | 64 |
| Share foreign-born | 3.92% | 45th highest of 52 | 0% | 2.64% | 12.6% | 27 |
| Share Hispanic or Latino, any race | 4.59% | 44th highest of 52 | 0% | 3.42% | 14.4% | 45 |
| Share in the same house a year ago | 85.4% | 34th highest of 51 | 67.9% | 90.3% | 97.9% | 66 |
| Share never married | 31.8% | 35th highest of 52 | 12.8% | 27.9% | 62.8% | 66 |
| Share now married | 51.9% | 11th highest of 52 | 18.4% | 55.6% | 71.8% | 66 |
| Share of births to unmarried women | 26.2% | 40th highest of 52 | 0% | 13.7% | 93.8% | 23 |
| Share of some other race, not Hispanic | 0.29% | 44th highest of 52 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 22 |
| Share of suicides by firearm | 50.7% | 39th highest of 51 | 31.6% | 57.2% | 88.9% | 12 |
| Share of taxes from alcohol | 0.438 | 16th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from corporate income | 0.99 | 46th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from corporation licences | 0.176 | 20th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from death and gift | 0 | 51st highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from gambling | 0.258 | 24th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from general sales and gross receipts | 44.7 | 5th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from individual income | 0 | 51st highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from insurance premiums | 2.16 | 13th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from licences | 8.87 | 2nd highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from motor fuel | 3.95 | 8th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from motor vehicle licences | 3.04 | 5th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from occupation and business licences | 3.34 | 1st highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from other taxes | 0.338 | 50th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from property | 32.8 | 16th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from property transfer | 0.00476 | 38th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from public utilities | 0.703 | 30th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from selective sales | 12.3 | 21st highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from severance | 0.117 | 19th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from sports betting and pari-mutuels | 0.00884 | 34th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of taxes from tobacco | 1.07 | 17th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Share of two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.85% | 24th highest of 52 | 1.24% | 3.39% | 11.2% | 35 |
| Share separated | 1.09% | 44th highest of 52 | 0% | 1.22% | 3.68% | 12 |
| Share White, not Hispanic | 80.3% | 10th highest of 52 | 6.63% | 87.6% | 95.4% | 66 |
| Share widowed | 5.7% | 24th highest of 52 | 3.44% | 6.91% | 10.6% | 64 |
| Share with a bachelor's degree or higher | 31.1% | 37th best of 52 | 6.99% | 24.3% | 46% | 66 |
| State income tax as a share of income | 0 | 50th highest of 50 | — | — | — | — |
| State taxes as a share of income | 3.86 | 47th highest of 50 | — | — | — | — |
| Suicide rate | 21.2 | 43rd best of 51 | 12.6 | 23 | 70.5 | 14 |
| Top state income tax rate | 0% | 50th highest of 50 | — | — | — | — |
| Total tax burden | 7.13 | 51st highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Two weeks of poor mental health | 15.4 | 15th best of 49 | — | — | — | — |
| Unemployment rate | 1.82% | 1st best of 52 | 1.3% | 1.8% | 5.1% | 66 |
| Vacancy rate | 10.9% | 25th highest of 52 | 3.29% | 17.7% | 34.9% | 66 |
| Went without care over cost | 11.6 | 29th best of 49 | — | — | — | — |
| Years of potential life lost | 8,930 | 31st best of 51 | 4,503 | 7,584 | 46,420 | 44 |
| Aggregate travel time to work | 7,240,800 min | 48th highest of 52 | 6,220 min | 37,420 min | 1,795,000 min | 66 |
| Business establishments | 26,095 | 45th highest of 51 | 10 | 154 | 5,680 | 66 |
| Business establishments closed | 2,167 | 46th highest of 51 | 0 | 11 | 422 | 66 |
| Business establishments opened | 2,473 | 46th highest of 51 | 0 | 13.5 | 523 | 66 |
| Employed | 470,970 | 47th highest of 52 | 383 | 2,498 | 114,100 | 66 |
| Foreign-born population | 35,218 | 47th highest of 52 | 0 | 315 | 16,040 | 27 |
| Gross domestic product | $74,459,000k | 48th highest of 51 | $65,490k | $356,200k | $20,870,000k | 66 |
| Housing units | 402,360 | 47th highest of 52 | 478 | 2,557 | 87,040 | 66 |
| Labour force | 479,700 | 47th highest of 52 | 394 | 2,548 | 116,200 | 66 |
| Millionaire tax returns | 2,080 | 41st highest of 52 | — | — | — | — |
| Net domestic migration | 4,536 | 20th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| Occupied housing units | 358,550 | 47th highest of 52 | 355 | 2,106 | 82,390 | 66 |
| Owner-occupied housing units | 246,100 | 47th highest of 52 | 261 | 1,456 | 52,330 | 66 |
| People covered by a tax return | 832,420 | 46th highest of 51 | 890 | 4,920 | 194,700 | 66 |
| People in households earning $200,000 or more who did not move | 70,754 | 48th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| People who did not move | 731,060 | 46th highest of 51 | 764 | 4,454 | 172,100 | 66 |
| Personal income | $68,097,000k | 46th highest of 51 | $66,340k | $388,000k | $15,520,000k | 66 |
| Population | 918,300 | 46th highest of 51 | 862 | 5,295 | 206,500 | 66 |
| Population | 919,320 | 46th highest of 51 | 855 | 5,294 | 206,900 | 66 |
| Population (firearm measures) | 822,250 | 46th highest of 51 | 6,663 | 25,670 | 180,400 | 12 |
| Population (WONDER) | 919,320 | 46th highest of 51 | 13,430 | 13,430 | 13,430 | 1 |
| Population aged 15 and over | 716,520 | 47th highest of 52 | 762 | 4,204 | 157,500 | 66 |
| Population aged 25 and over | 596,140 | 47th highest of 52 | 647 | 3,622 | 132,600 | 66 |
| Population aged 65 and over | 158,100 | 47th highest of 52 | 164 | 1,007 | 27,320 | 66 |
| Population below the poverty line | 104,510 | 46th highest of 52 | 103 | 749 | 17,320 | 61 |
| Population below the poverty line | 101,180 | 45th highest of 51 | 113 | 709 | 19,710 | 66 |
| Population for whom poverty status is determined | 869,960 | 47th highest of 52 | 1,023 | 5,158 | 195,900 | 66 |
| Population for whom poverty status is determined | 887,580 | 46th highest of 51 | 851 | 5,187 | 203,200 | 66 |
| Population in the same house one year ago | 768,070 | 46th highest of 51 | 896 | 4,770 | 167,400 | 66 |
| Population with a bachelor's degree or higher | 185,410 | 49th highest of 52 | 64 | 801 | 45,850 | 66 |
| Population, decennial census | 886,670 | 46th highest of 51 | 917 | 5,281 | 197,200 | 66 |
| Presidential votes cast, 2024 | 428,920 | 46th highest of 51 | 466 | 2,423 | 93,990 | 65 |
| Private jobs | 376,990 | 48th highest of 52 | 60 | 1,329 | 122,900 | 66 |
| State and local tax collections | $4,855,500k | 50th highest of 51 | — | — | — | — |
| State individual income tax collected | $0k | 50th highest of 50 | — | — | — | — |
| State tax collected, all taxes | $2,629,100k | 50th highest of 50 | — | — | — | — |
| Tax returns filed | 444,810 | 46th highest of 51 | 460 | 2,550 | 105,800 | 66 |
| Total population | 899,190 | 47th highest of 52 | 1,030 | 5,280 | 200,700 | 66 |
| Unemployed | 8,729 | 49th highest of 52 | 11 | 52 | 2,012 | 66 |
| Vacant housing units | 43,812 | 50th highest of 52 | 81 | 404 | 4,957 | 66 |
| Women aged 15 to 50 | 193,510 | 48th highest of 52 | 151 | 943 | 46,440 | 66 |
| Women who gave birth in the past year | 12,608 | 45th highest of 52 | 49 | 152 | 3,163 | 26 |
| Workers aged 16 and over who commute | 411,180 | 47th highest of 52 | 409 | 2,234 | 99,580 | 66 |
Links inside South Dakota
These are the site’s strongest pairs nationwide, worked out again using only this state’s counties. The r column shows how closely two measures rise and fall together, from −1 (opposite) to +1 (in step); 0 means no link. A link that shows up nationally but disappears inside every state is really about differences between states. A link that also holds here is not.
These figures are before adjusting for anything. Unlike the national figures, they do not take out population density, income or education.
| Pair | r within SD | counties |
|---|---|---|
| Median age × Share aged 65 and overInside South Dakota, where Median age is higher, Share aged 65 and over tends to be higher: a strong link across 66 counties, before adjusting for anything. | +0.91 | 66 |
| Self-care disability × Material security scoreInside South Dakota, where Self-care disability is higher, Material security score tends to be lower: a strong link across 61 counties, before adjusting for anything. | -0.92 | 61 |
| Stroke × Material security scoreInside South Dakota, where Stroke is higher, Material security score tends to be lower: a strong link across 61 counties, before adjusting for anything. | -0.93 | 61 |
| Vision disability × Material security scoreInside South Dakota, where Vision disability is higher, Material security score tends to be lower: a strong link across 61 counties, before adjusting for anything. | -0.92 | 61 |
| Self-care disability × Returns claiming the earned income creditInside South Dakota, where Self-care disability is higher, Returns claiming the earned income credit tends to be higher: a strong link across 66 counties, before adjusting for anything. | +0.92 | 66 |
| Vision disability × Returns claiming the earned income creditInside South Dakota, where Vision disability is higher, Returns claiming the earned income credit tends to be higher: a strong link across 66 counties, before adjusting for anything. | +0.94 | 66 |
| Fair or poor self-rated health × Material security scoreInside South Dakota, where Fair or poor self-rated health is higher, Material security score tends to be lower: a strong link across 61 counties, before adjusting for anything. | -0.93 | 61 |
| Independent-living disability × Material security scoreInside South Dakota, where Independent-living disability is higher, Material security score tends to be lower: a strong link across 61 counties, before adjusting for anything. | -0.93 | 61 |
What this state is divided into
66 county-level areas, largest first. Each one is compared with its peers — the counties across the country most like it — not with the rest of this state.
Minnehaha County · Pennington County · Lincoln County · Brown County · Brookings County · Meade County · Codington County · Lawrence County · Yankton County · Davison County · Beadle County · Hughes County · Union County · Clay County · Oglala Lakota County · Lake County · Butte County · Roberts County · Todd County · Charles Mix County · Turner County · Custer County · Grant County · Hutchinson County · Fall River County · Bon Homme County · Moody County · Hamlin County · Spink County · McCook County · Tripp County · Day County · Walworth County · Brule County · Dewey County · Kingsbury County · Marshall County · Deuel County · Edmunds County · Gregory County · Clark County · Corson County · Lyman County · Hanson County · Bennett County · Perkins County · Hand County · Stanley County · Jackson County · Douglas County · Aurora County · Potter County · Ziebach County · Sanborn County · Miner County · McPherson County · Faulk County · Mellette County · Jerauld County · Buffalo County · Haakon County · Campbell County · Sully County · Hyde County · Harding County · Jones County