South Dakota
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Demographics of South Dakota
Quality of Life in South Dakota
A livable area that tracks near national norms for affordability, walkability, and neighborhood health.
What does Quality of Life tell us?
Quality of Life measures an area by evaluating factors like cost of living, nearby amenities, country club access, airport proximity, socioeconomic signals and neighborhood character. For large states, this is a general average — quality of life can vary dramatically between metro areas, suburbs, and rural communities within the same state.
Quality of Life measures an area by evaluating factors like cost of living, nearby amenities, country club access, airport proximity, socioeconomic signals and neighborhood character. For large states, this is a general average — quality of life can vary dramatically between metro areas, suburbs, and rural communities within the same state.
Cost of Living
19% below national average
107%
The Real Cost of Living in South Dakota for 2026
| Tier | Individual | Family (4) |
|---|---|---|
| Survival | $15k | $27k |
| Comfortable | $46k | $68k |
| Luxury | $127k+ | $196k+ |
| Elite (Top 5%) | $149k+ | $231k+ |
Economics in South Dakota
An economy roughly in line with the national baseline across income, employment, and housing.
Crime in South Dakota
Generally safer than 61% of comparable U.S. locations.
Violent CrimeViolent Crime Analysis
Property CrimeProperty Crime Analysis
Political Climate in South Dakota
Personal Sovereignty in South Dakota
What does Personal Sovereignty tell us?
Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.
Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.
Viable for self-reliance. Generally workable, though some barriers may limit total independence.
State Policy
Energy independence: Importer (35% of energy produced in-state)
Personal Liberty
Homesteading
Strategic Assessment of South Dakota
What does the Strategic Assessment tell us?
Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.
Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.
Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)Strong survivability profile. Good buffer from population centers, with manageable environmental and tactical risks.
Best Places to Live in South Dakota
Cities in South Dakota
Largest Cities in South Dakota
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-19T01:42:17.000Z