South Dakota
R+27 · Low tax burden · COL index 95
0%
Income Tax
388
Violent Crime / 100K
78.2
Life Expectancy
$310K
Median Home
$900
Childcare / Mo
State Profile
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Taxes
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Income Tax
Property Tax
~$3,348/yr on median home
Sales Tax
Social Security
Pension / IRA
Estate Tax
Inheritance Tax
Capital Gains
Housing & Cost of Living
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Cost of Living Index
National avg = 100
Median Home Price
Median Rent (2BR)
Home Insurance
Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)
Flood Insurance
Homestead Exemption
Home equity protected from creditors
Asset Protection
Crime & Safety
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Violent Crime Rate
Near national avg
Property Crime Rate
Near national avg
Traffic Fatality Rate
Healthcare
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State Healthcare Rank
Life Expectancy
Medicaid Expansion
Uninsured Rate
Education
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K-12 Quality Rank
School Choice / Vouchers
Childcare
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Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)
Utilities & Daily Costs
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Avg Monthly Energy Bill
Avg Monthly Groceries
2-person household, moderate spending
Road Quality Rank
Among the best roads in the US
Airports & Travel
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Nonstop Destinations
From state's primary airport
Major Hub Airport
Regional airport — connections via hub
Culture & Lifestyle
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Urban Population
Mix of urban and rural
Restaurant Density
Limited dining options
Religious Congregations
Pro Sports Teams
NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS
Major Venues
Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)
Craft Breweries
3.4/100K residents — Solid scene
Craft Distilleries
Live Music
Rapid City growing scene; Sanford Underground Research Facility events; Crow Bar
Transportation
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Car Insurance (Avg Annual)
Traffic Fatality Rate
Broadband Access
Social & Legal
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Abortion Access
Near-total ban with narrow exceptions
LGBTQ+ Protections
Marijuana
Minimum Wage
Right to Work
Sports Betting
Casino Gambling
Online Gambling
State Lottery
Deadwood is a historic gambling destination. Limited-stakes casinos. Video lottery terminals widely available.
Age of Consent
Sex Education
No state sex ed mandate
Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs
No known naturist facilities
Environment & Climate
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Air Quality (Annual AQI)
Near national avg
Natural Disaster Risk
Primary Hazards
Politics & Gun Laws
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2024 Presidential Vote
Gun Laws
Carry Permit
Purchase Permit Required
Gambling
Hunting & Outdoors
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Pheasant hunting capital of the US. Deer and pheasant combination trips are common. Long archery season through January.
South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks — Official Season Dates ↗Finding nearby venues...
From r/hunting
Best state to live in for a hunter? : r/Hunting
South Dakota. Great deer hunting, limited draw elk (but close to CO for OTC), world class waterfowl and pheasant, and the absolute best pred...
reddit.com ↗
Which state is the most difficult to hunt in, for residents and ...
South Dakota is a little under 4%. South Dakota is pretty good for. Bad winters and over harvest for antelope and deer the past couple of ye...
reddit.com ↗
Cheapest OTC out of state deer tags : r/Hunting
They also have another season from Jan 1-Jan 31 on the southern part of the state antlerless tag. Western South Dakota Antelope...
reddit.com ↗
Western South Dakota Antelope : r/Hunting
What is elk hunting on public land really like? He made it through last year's general gun deer season....
reddit.com ↗
Why we recommend them
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Jobs & Economy
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Job Market
+1.3% job growth · 2.2% unemployment
Top Industries
Tech Jobs
Healthcare Jobs
Remote Work
Median Household Income
Business Climate
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Corporate Income Tax
LLC Formation Fee
LLC Annual Fee
Business Climate Rank
Top-10 nationally (Tax Foundation SBTCI 2024)
Daily Life
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Gas Price (Regular)
Below avg (-0.24 vs national avg)
Consumer Fireworks
Consumer fireworks legal statewide
Weather & Natural Risks
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Winter Severity
Avg January high: 23°F
Summer Heat
Moderate summers
Annual Rainfall
Tornado Risk
Hurricane Risk
Wildfire Risk
Flood Risk
Natural Hazards
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Venomous Snakes
Spider Hazard
Scorpions
Hurricane Risk
Tornado Risk
Wildfire Risk
Earthquake Risk
Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗
Veteran Benefits
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Veteran-Friendly Score
10.4% of state population are veterans
Property Tax Exemption
Disabled vet property tax freeze
Military Retirement Pay
Active Duty Pay
VA Facilities Access
Notable Benefits
Explore South Dakota counties
Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county
See your full cost of living in South Dakota
Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.
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South Dakota vs Idaho
COL 95 vs 96 · No vs 5.8% income tax
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SD vs NC
South Dakota vs North Carolina
COL 95 vs 94 · No vs 4.5% income tax
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SD vs PA
South Dakota vs Pennsylvania
COL 95 vs 97 · No vs 3.07% income tax
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SD vs SC
South Dakota vs South Carolina
COL 95 vs 93 · No vs 6.2% income tax
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Trending in South Dakota
Black Hills counties among first to adopt new sales tax option for homeowner property tax reduction - South Dakota Searchlight
South Dakota Searchlight · Jul 22
7 things to know ahead of the SD gubernatorial runoff - South Dakota News Watch
South Dakota News Watch · Jul 22
South Dakota approved for ‘Returning Education to the States’ waiver - Dakota News Now
Dakota News Now · Jul 24
What South Dakota’s Budget Surplus Really Means - plaintalk.net
plaintalk.net · Jul 24
SDBOR readies $60M in budget requests for 2027 legislative session - Argus Leader
Argus Leader · Jul 24
Stay Current
Get notified when South Dakota tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.