SIDE BY SIDE
How do two states really compare?
See the differences across 31 measures. Change either state, explore a topic, and create a free link to your exact comparison.
vs.
31 MEASURES. TWO PERSPECTIVES.
South Dakota & Alaska
| MEASURE | SOUTH DAKOTA | ALASKA | DIFFERENCE · FIRST MINUS SECOND |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population ↗Reported count | 924,669#46 of 50 states | 740,133#48 of 50 states | +184,536 |
| Housing units ↗Reported count | 393,375#46 of 50 states | 326,200#49 of 50 states | +67,175 |
| Vacant housing units ↗Reported count | 41,403#47 of 50 states | 55,712#46 of 50 states | −14,309 |
| Reported monthly rent ↗Dollars | $999#8 of 50 states | $1,444#31 of 50 states | −$445 |
| Employed residents ↗Reported count | 480,631#46 of 50 states | 342,028#49 of 50 states | +138,603 |
| Unemployed residents ↗Reported count | 13,884#47 of 50 states | 21,681#44 of 50 states | −7,797 |
| Armed Forces personnel ↗Reported count | 3,626#42 of 50 states | 26,882#12 of 50 states | −23,256 |
| Residents outside the labor force ↗Reported count | 235,492#46 of 50 states | 195,492#48 of 50 states | +40,000 |
| Public transportation commuters ↗Reported count | 1,057#50 of 50 states | 2,460#48 of 50 states | −1,403 |
| Residents working from home ↗Reported count | 38,257#47 of 50 states | 30,477#48 of 50 states | +7,780 |
| Mean commute time ↗Minutes | 18.5 min#2 of 50 states | 19.8 min#5 of 50 states | −1.3 min |
| Median household income ↗Dollars | $76,881#29 of 50 states | $95,665#11 of 50 states | −$18,784 |
| Per capita income ↗Dollars | $41,637#31 of 50 states | $47,267#13 of 50 states | −$5,630 |
| Mean household income ↗Dollars | $100,178#35 of 50 states | $122,082#13 of 50 states | −$21,904 |
| Reported SNAP receipt ↗Reported count | 27,163#48 of 50 states | 28,394#47 of 50 states | −1,231 |
| Reported Social Security income ↗Reported count | 117,306#46 of 50 states | 72,734#50 of 50 states | +44,572 |
| Reported retirement income ↗Reported count | 85,212#46 of 50 states | 66,714#50 of 50 states | +18,498 |
| Reported SSI receipt ↗Reported count | 14,194#46 of 50 states | 9,385#50 of 50 states | +4,809 |
| Reported cash public assistance ↗Reported count | 5,994#49 of 50 states | 11,207#46 of 50 states | −5,213 |
| Residents with health insurance ↗Reported count | 831,931#46 of 50 states | 628,145#48 of 50 states | +203,786 |
| Residents without health insurance ↗Reported count | 73,403#43 of 50 states | 77,532#41 of 50 states | −4,129 |
| Private health insurance ↗Reported count | 662,280#46 of 50 states | 464,281#48 of 50 states | +197,999 |
| Public health insurance ↗Reported count | 290,371#46 of 50 states | 266,835#47 of 50 states | +23,536 |
| Private wage workers ↗Reported count | 363,319#46 of 50 states | 232,937#49 of 50 states | +130,382 |
| Government workers ↗Reported count | 79,462#46 of 50 states | 88,269#44 of 50 states | −8,807 |
| Self-employed workers ↗Reported count | 36,434#44 of 50 states | 20,354#50 of 50 states | +16,080 |
| White non-Hispanic population ↗Reported count | 730,197#44 of 50 states | 421,910#49 of 50 states | +308,287 |
| Black or African American population ↗Reported count | 16,746#46 of 50 states | 17,803#45 of 50 states | −1,057 |
| American Indian & Alaska Native population ↗Reported count | 66,418#7 of 50 states | 99,626#5 of 50 states | −33,208 |
| Asian population ↗Reported count | 15,619#45 of 50 states | 43,816#38 of 50 states | −28,197 |
| Hispanic or Latino population ↗Reported count | 44,947#46 of 50 states | 57,229#44 of 50 states | −12,282 |
Ranks follow each measure’s default order. Counts reflect state size as well as the underlying condition; higher is not automatically better. State comparisons describe separate populations, not the same household across measures.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates. Supplied extract; descriptive ranks across 50 states.
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