Is South Dakota or Vermont a better state to live in?

Based on our composite scoring, South Dakota ranks higher overall. South Dakota is #2 and Vermont is #3 out of 50 states. South Dakota wins 5 of 11 categories, while Vermont wins 6.

How does South Dakota compare to Vermont in cost of living?

South Dakota has a cost of living index of 88, while Vermont's is 97 (100 = national average). South Dakota is more affordable.

Which state is safer, South Dakota or Vermont?

South Dakota has 330 violent crimes per 100K residents, vs 208 in Vermont. Vermont has the lower crime rate.

What are the median incomes in South Dakota vs Vermont?

South Dakota's median household income is $72,280, compared to $74,919 in Vermont.

South Dakota vs Vermont: Side-by-Side (2026)

A+

South Dakota

#2·Midwest

81.8Composite Score

VSSouth Dakota leads

A+

Vermont

#3·Northeast

79.6Composite Score

5SD wins

6VT wins

Category Overlay

South DakotaVermont

Category Scores

💰 EconomySD +7.4

70.3

62.9

🛡️ SafetyVT +16.4

66.9

83.3

🏥 HealthVT +42.8

53.1

95.9

🎓 EducationSD +16.3

89.8

73.5

💼 Fiscal HealthSD +25.2

76.3

51.1

📈 GrowthSD +33.2

63.4

30.2

🏠 AffordabilitySD +30.1

84.5

54.4

🌿 EnvironmentVT +23.0

53.3

76.3

🏞️ Outdoor AccessVT +9.8

45.8

55.6

🚇 TransportationVT +2.7

56.7

59.4

🎭 LivabilityVT +1.6

54.3

55.9

Key Metrics Comparison

Metric	South Dakota	Vermont	Winner
Population	919,318	647,464	SD
Median Income	$72,280	$74,919	VT
Unemployment	2%	2.7%	SD
Violent Crime Rate(per 100K)	330	208	VT
Cost of Living(100 = national avg)	88	97	SD
HS Graduation Rate	85%	93%	VT
Life Expectancy	78.5 yr	79.4 yr	VT
Pop Growth	+1%	-0.3%	SD

South Dakota vs Vermont: How Do They Compare?

South Dakota ranks #2 overall with a composite score of 81.8, earning a A+ grade. Vermont sits at #3 with 79.6 and a A+ grade. South Dakota has the edge overall, winning 5 of 11 categories.

On the economic front, South Dakota has 2% unemployment and a $72,280 median income, while Vermont reports 2.7% unemployment and $74,919 median income.

For safety, South Dakota's violent crime rate is 330 per 100K compared to 208 in Vermont. Cost of living favors South Dakota with an index of 88 vs 97.

Explore These States

South Dakota Full Profile81.8 Vermont Full Profile79.6 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