Is New York or South Dakota a better state to live in?

Based on our composite scoring, South Dakota ranks higher overall. New York is #25 and South Dakota is #2 out of 50 states. New York wins 4 of 11 categories, while South Dakota wins 7.

How does New York compare to South Dakota in cost of living?

New York has a cost of living index of 108, while South Dakota's is 88 (100 = national average). South Dakota is more affordable.

Which state is safer, New York or South Dakota?

New York has 364 violent crimes per 100K residents, vs 330 in South Dakota. South Dakota has the lower crime rate.

What are the median incomes in New York vs South Dakota?

New York's median household income is $81,386, compared to $72,280 in South Dakota.

New York vs South Dakota: Side-by-Side (2026)

New York

#25·Northeast

58.4Composite Score

VSSouth Dakota leads

A+

South Dakota

#2·Midwest

81.8Composite Score

4NY wins

7SD wins

Category Overlay

New YorkSouth Dakota

Category Scores

💰 EconomySD +26.6

43.7

70.3

🛡️ SafetySD +0.9

66.0

66.9

🏥 HealthNY +20.4

73.5

53.1

🎓 EducationSD +30.6

59.2

89.8

💼 Fiscal HealthSD +31.8

44.5

76.3

📈 GrowthSD +43.5

19.9

63.4

🏠 AffordabilitySD +49.1

35.4

84.5

🌿 EnvironmentNY +5.1

58.4

53.3

🏞️ Outdoor AccessSD +15.6

30.2

45.8

🚇 TransportationNY +3.8

60.5

56.7

🎭 LivabilityNY +0.8

55.1

54.3

Key Metrics Comparison

Metric	New York	South Dakota	Winner
Population	19,571,216	919,318	NY
Median Income	$81,386	$72,280	NY
Unemployment	4.5%	2%	SD
Violent Crime Rate(per 100K)	364	330	SD
Cost of Living(100 = national avg)	108	88	SD
HS Graduation Rate	85%	85%	Tie
Life Expectancy	79.1 yr	78.5 yr	NY
Pop Growth	+0.4%	+1%	SD

New York vs South Dakota: How Do They Compare?

New York ranks #25 overall with a composite score of 58.4, earning a B grade. South Dakota sits at #2 with 81.8 and a A+ grade. South Dakota has the edge overall, winning 7 of 11 categories.

On the economic front, New York has 4.5% unemployment and a $81,386 median income, while South Dakota reports 2% unemployment and $72,280 median income.

For safety, New York's violent crime rate is 364 per 100K compared to 330 in South Dakota. Cost of living favors South Dakota with an index of 88 vs 108.

Explore These States

New York Full Profile58.4 South Dakota Full Profile81.8 Compare Other States→

Data Sources

📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS (Dec 2025)📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 📎FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023 📎America's Health Rankings, 2025 📎WalletHub/NAEP, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 📎Cook Political Report, PVI 2024 📎Tax Foundation, Facts & Figures 2025 📎ALEC Rich States Poor States, 2025 📎WalletHub Tax Burden Study, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau / FHFA, 2025 📎BEA Regional Price Parities, 2023 📎EPA AirData, Median AQI by County 2024 📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 📎FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau, Net Domestic Migration 2024 📎FCC / BroadbandNow, Broadband Access 2025 📎National Park Service API, 2024 📎USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US), 2024 📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 (Commuting)📎FHWA Highway Statistics, 2023 📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 📎EIA Natural Gas Prices, 2024 📎DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2023 📎BEA Regional Price Parities (Food), 2023 📎NCES Common Core of Data (CCD), 2023-24 📎EDFacts ACGR Graduation Rates, 2021-22 📎NCES School District Finance Survey (F-33), 2022-23 📎BEA GDP by State (SAGDP9), 2023 📎NASBO Fiscal Survey of States, FY2023 📎Census Bureau State Government Finances, FY2022 📎Pew Charitable Trusts Fiscal 50, FY2023 📎Pew Charitable Trusts, FY2022 📎S&P/Moody's via Ballotpedia, 2025 📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES (May 2023)📎IRS Statistics of Income, State-to-State Migration 2022-2023