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South Dakota

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State snapshot

South Dakota facts

Explore dated, statewide figures across taxes and the economy, housing, public safety, health, education, and other civic topics.

Explore South Dakota individual facts and compare every state →

14 topic facts + fiscal overview + 9 state trends + 15 reviewed government links

Public money

How South Dakota funds state services

South Dakota's enacted FY2027 general appropriations, FY2025 audited State tax revenue and activity, and current tax rates. Each section preserves its official period and accounting scope.

Enacted budget plan

$7.5BFY2027

Enacted as 2026 House Bill 1326

FY2027 all-funds general appropriations

July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027

Exact reported total: $7,472,098,316

Expenditure authority in South Dakota's FY2027 General Appropriations Act, HB 1326, across general, federal, and other funds. The headline covers the ordinary expenses authorized by that act; separate special-appropriation and capital measures are outside the total, and the act's fund transfers are not counted again as spending.

South Dakota Legislature: FY2027 General Appropriations Act — House Bill 1326, enrolled

FY2027

How the enacted budget is financed

$7.5B$7,472,098,316

Federal funds$3.1B · 41.5%

Federal fund expenditure authority appropriated in HB 1326.

General Fund$2.5B · 34.0%

South Dakota General Fund appropriations in the FY2027 act.

Other funds$1.8B · 24.5%

Dedicated, fee-supported, proprietary, and other fund authority appropriated in HB 1326.

FY2025 ACFR actual

Where State tax revenue comes from

$2.5B$2,468,001,000

Tax revenue reported as general revenue for South Dakota's primary government on the government-wide Statement of Activities. The total excludes locally retained property tax because the State does not levy or collect it.

Sales taxes$1.5B · 59.4%

Sales-tax revenue recognized by South Dakota's governmental activities.

Other taxes$530.4M · 21.5%

The ACFR's combined line for the State's remaining tax categories not separately presented on the government-wide statement.

Contractor's excise taxes$216.5M · 8.8%

Excise-tax revenue associated with construction services and realty-improvement projects.

Motor fuel taxes$200.6M · 8.1%

Motor-fuel-tax revenue recognized by the State primary government.

Bank card and franchise taxes$53.9M · 2.2%

The bank-card and bank-franchise-tax line reported in the ACFR.

FY2027 enacted all-funds general appropriations

FY2027 general appropriations by service group

$7.5B$7,472,098,316

FactVote groups the act's exact department totals into six service groups. General, federal, and other fund authority is combined, and the groups reconcile to the exact $7.472 billion statewide appropriation.

Health and human services$2.8B · 37.4%

Department of Social Services, Department of Health, and Department of Human Services appropriations.

Education$2.1B · 27.9%

Department of Education, Board of Regents, and School and Public Lands appropriations.

Transportation$1.3B · 17.0%

Department of Transportation appropriations across all three fund columns.

General government and regulation$599.0M · 8.0%

Central administration, information technology, revenue, labor and regulation, elected offices, legislative operations, and other statewide governmental functions.

Justice, public safety, and veterans$462.1M · 6.2%

Public Safety, Corrections, the Unified Judicial System, Attorney General, Military, and Veterans' Affairs appropriations.

Natural resources and tourism$259.0M · 3.5%

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Game, Fish and Parks, and Tourism appropriations.

Tax structure

Common statewide rates

Property and district rates can be local. Each card states the applicable scope.

Individual income tax

NoneSouth Dakota does not impose a State individual income tax.South Dakota Department of Revenue: Individual Taxes

Corporate income tax

NoneSouth Dakota does not impose a corporate income tax, although specialized business taxes may apply.South Dakota Department of Revenue: Business Taxes

Sales and use tax

4.2% State + localThe State sales and use tax rate is 4.2%. Applicable municipal sales or use tax is additional and varies by location.South Dakota Department of Revenue: Sales and Use Tax

Contractor's excise tax

2%The tax is 2% of gross receipts for covered construction services and realty-improvement projects.South Dakota Department of Revenue: Contractor's Excise Tax

Property tax

Local levy variesSouth Dakota does not collect or spend property-tax revenue at the State level. Local rates are calculated from each taxing jurisdiction's funding request and taxable property value and are expressed in dollars per $1,000.South Dakota Department of Revenue: Property Tax

Latest audited results

Fiscal year ended June 30, 2025

Government-wide revenue and expenses for South Dakota's primary government on the accrual basis, combining governmental and business-type activities and excluding component units. Revenue is program revenue plus general revenue; transfers between the two primary-government columns cancel.

South Dakota Bureau of Finance and Management: South Dakota FY2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report

Government-wide revenue: $7.5B
Government-wide expenses: $7.0B

Method, scope, and limitations

FactVote used the exact FY2027 statewide total and fund columns in enrolled HB 1326, then summed its exact department totals into six disclosed service groups. FY2025 tax-source shares and audited activity come from the primary-government columns of the ACFR Statement of Activities; current rates come from the South Dakota Department of Revenue.

The $7.472 billion headline is the FY2027 General Appropriations Act, not every appropriation enacted in separate special-purpose or capital legislation.
The six spending groups are FactVote classifications assembled from exact department totals rather than categories printed as a summary table in HB 1326.
Appropriations are expenditure authority, not actual spending, and later budget adjustments can change available amounts.
FY2025 audited activity is on the accrual basis and is not the same period or accounting measure as the FY2027 budget.
The ACFR's Other Taxes line combines tax categories that are not separately identified on the government-wide statement.
Local property taxes are outside the State primary-government tax total and rates vary by taxing district and taxable value.

Last verified August 29, 2026 · Review by August 31, 2027 · South Dakota figures refresh annually.

Taxes and the economy

Taxes, government spending, jobs, wages, and small business.

Taxes and economy

$75,081

Median household income

2020–2024 estimate

Median money income received by South Dakota households, expressed in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, sourced from the American Community Survey 2020–2024 five-year estimate.

Keep in mind

Income is not take-home pay and does not directly measure taxes, wealth, prices, or purchasing power.
A statewide median obscures regional and household differences.

Related state trends

Taxes and economy over time

Employment and unemployment place the latest economic facts in a longer statewide context.

Work

Employment and unemployment

1.8%unemployed

The unemployment rate is paired with employed South Dakota residents indexed to 2015, so job recovery and labor-market slack remain readable on separate scales.

Unemployment rate
Employed people

Unemployment rate: 1.8%
Employed people: 476.3K
Employment since 2015: +9.1%

U.S. comparison & state rank2024

Unemployment rate

South Dakota: 1.8%
U.S. benchmark: 4.0%
State rank #1 has the highest unemployment rate — worse: #50 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED: National unemployment rate

View chart data

Year	Unemployment rate	Employed people	Employment index
2015	3.0%	436,406	100.0
2016	3.0%	439,437	100.7
2017	3.0%	442,052	101.3
2018	2.8%	445,918	102.2
2019	2.7%	451,532	103.5
2020	4.1%	445,476	102.1
2021	2.6%	457,014	104.7
2022	1.9%	465,035	106.6
2023	1.8%	470,972	107.9
2024	1.8%	476,298	109.1

Method and limitations

FactVote uses BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics annual averages for the statewide unemployment rate and civilian employment. The chart converts employment to an index with 2015 equal to 100; the data table retains the published employment level.

LAUS estimates are revised each year through the program's annual processing cycle.
Employment is residence-based civilian employment, not a count of jobs located in the state.
Annual averages smooth within-year changes.

Housing and property costs

Housing supply, affordability, renters, zoning, and property costs.

Housing

$946/month

Median gross rent

2020–2024 estimate

Median monthly gross rent for renter-occupied housing units paying cash rent, including contract rent plus estimated average utility and fuel costs paid by the renter.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, sourced from the American Community Survey 2020–2024 five-year estimate and expressed in 2024 dollars.

Keep in mind

This is a multi-year statewide estimate, not a current asking-rent measure.
The median obscures differences by location, unit size, housing quality, and renter circumstances.

Related state trends

Housing over time

Home values and household income show how South Dakota housing costs and purchasing power have changed together.

Housing pressure

Home prices versus income growth

+82.8%home prices

FHFA house prices and BEA personal income per person are indexed to the same starting year. A widening gap signals that home prices are rising faster than this broad income measure.

FHFA home prices
Income per person

Home-price growth: +82.8%
Income growth: +64.2%
Income per person: $79,297

U.S. comparison & state rank2025

Home-price growth

South Dakota: +82.8%
U.S. benchmark: +86.6%
State rank #1 has the fastest home-price growth — depends on perspective: #28 of 50

Income growth

South Dakota: +64.2%
U.S. benchmark: +55.9%
State rank #1 has the fastest income growth — better: #8 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.Federal Housing Finance Agency: U.S. House Price Index U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis via FRED: U.S. personal income per capita

View chart data

Year	FHFA HPI	Home-price index	Income per person	Income index
2016	282.32	100.0	$48,284	100.0
2017	294.95	104.5	$49,408	102.3
2018	307.76	109.0	$51,579	106.8
2019	320.41	113.5	$54,408	112.7
2020	335.55	118.9	$59,595	123.4
2021	378.66	134.1	$67,188	139.2
2022	443.25	157.0	$69,795	144.6
2023	472.38	167.3	$74,201	153.7
2024	496.76	176.0	$75,499	156.4
2025	516.00	182.8	$79,297	164.2

Method and limitations

FactVote averages the four quarterly, not-seasonally-adjusted FHFA all-transactions HPI observations for each year. It compares that series with BEA annual per-capita personal income distributed by FRED, then rebases both to 100 in 2016.

This is a pressure indicator, not a home-price-to-income ratio and not a measure of monthly mortgage affordability.
Both series are nominal; neither is adjusted for inflation.
Per-capita personal income includes earnings, property income, and transfers and is not median household income.

Public safety and criminal justice

Policing, crime prevention, sentencing, incarceration, and rehabilitation.

Public safety and justice

356.9 per 100,000

Reported violent-crime rate

2024

Violent offenses reported to law enforcement per 100,000 residents in participating jurisdictions.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

FactVote sums the 12 monthly state offense rates returned by the FBI Crime Data Explorer for each calendar year. The accompanying coverage value is the mean of the 12 monthly population-coverage percentages returned with the same query.

Keep in mind

These are crimes reported to law enforcement, not all crimes that occurred.
South Dakota's average monthly population coverage fell below 90% in 2017 and from 2021 through 2024; those years are flagged and may understate reported rates. The lowest returned coverage was 88.6% in 2023.
Reporting systems, agency participation, and later revisions can change the published series.
Average monthly population coverage in 2024 was 89.6%; this is not complete statewide reporting.

Public safety and justice

1,712.6 per 100,000

Reported property-crime rate

2024

Property offenses reported to law enforcement per 100,000 residents in participating jurisdictions.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

Keep in mind

These are crimes reported to law enforcement, not all crimes that occurred.
South Dakota's average monthly population coverage fell below 90% in 2017 and from 2021 through 2024; those years are flagged and may understate reported rates. The lowest returned coverage was 88.6% in 2023.
Reporting systems, agency participation, and later revisions can change the published series.
Average monthly population coverage in 2024 was 89.6%; this is not complete statewide reporting.

Public safety and justice

Homicide deaths

2024 final data

Deaths for which homicide was the underlying cause, with the rate age-adjusted per 100,000 residents.

View breakdowns and source

Population-adjusted measure

Age-adjusted homicide death rate: 6.6 per 100,000

How it was measured

CDC National Vital Statistics System death-certificate data.

Keep in mind

Homicide mortality is not the same as offenses reported to police and does not include nonfatal violence.
Counts and rates do not establish causes or the effect of a particular policy.

Related state trends

Public safety and justice over time

Reported violent- and property-crime rates are shown with the coverage cautions needed to compare years responsibly.

Public safety

Reported violent and property crime rates

89.6% coverage

Reported offenses per 100,000 residents in participating jurisdictions. Amber points flag years when average monthly population coverage was below 90%.

Violent crime
Property crime
Partial reporting

Violent crime: 356.9 per 100k
Property crime: 1712.6 per 100k
Population coverage: 89.6%

U.S. comparison & state rank2024

Violent-crime rate

South Dakota: 356.9 per 100k
U.S. benchmark: 359.1 per 100k
State rank #1 has the highest violent-crime rate — worse: #22* of 50

* Reporting coverage was below 90% for this statistic.

Property-crime rate

South Dakota: 1712.6 per 100k
U.S. benchmark: 1760.1 per 100k
State rank #1 has the highest property-crime rate — worse: #23* of 50

* Reporting coverage was below 90% for this statistic.

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.An asterisk marks a state-year with less than 90% average population coverage. The U.S. figures are FBI national estimates; state figures are reported rates.Federal Bureau of Investigation: UCR Summary of Reported Crimes in the Nation, 2024

View chart data

Year	Violent rate	Property rate	Population coverage
2015	414.9 per 100k	2024.4 per 100k	92.4%
2016	436.2 per 100k	2090.6 per 100k	92.5%
2017	449.6 per 100k	2005.3 per 100k	89.5% · partial
2018	367.1 per 100k	1745.5 per 100k	94.8%
2019	361.2 per 100k	1806.4 per 100k	94.4%
2020	489.0 per 100k	1918.2 per 100k	95.0%
2021	415.1 per 100k	1802.6 per 100k	89.0% · partial
2022	405.0 per 100k	1872.5 per 100k	88.8% · partial
2023	376.7 per 100k	1751.8 per 100k	88.6% · partial
2024	356.9 per 100k	1712.6 per 100k	89.6% · partial

Method and limitations

These are crimes reported to law enforcement, not all crimes that occurred.
South Dakota's average monthly population coverage fell below 90% in 2017 and from 2021 through 2024; those years are flagged and may understate reported rates. The lowest returned coverage was 88.6% in 2023.
Reporting systems, agency participation, and later revisions can change the published series.

Healthcare

Coverage, prescription costs, Medicaid, and access to care.

Healthcare

9.8%

People under 65 without health insurance

2024 ACS annual estimate

Share of South Dakota’s civilian noninstitutionalized residents under age 65 who lacked comprehensive health-insurance coverage at the time of the ACS survey.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, sourced from the 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimate.

Keep in mind

This is a survey estimate for people under 65 and does not describe coverage type or continuity of coverage.
Insurance status alone does not measure affordability, access, quality, or health outcomes.

Related state trends

Healthcare over time

Health-insurance coverage and life expectancy provide separate views of access and population health over time.

Health coverage

Residents without health insurance

8.1%uninsured

The share of the civilian noninstitutionalized population without health insurance at the time of the American Community Survey interview.

Uninsured rate
90% confidence margin

Uninsured rate: 8.1%
Margin of error: ±0.7 points

U.S. comparison & state rank2024

Uninsured rate

South Dakota: 8.1%
U.S. benchmark: 8.2%
State rank #1 has the highest uninsured rate — worse: #20 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.U.S. Census Bureau: HIC-4_ACS health insurance coverage

View chart data

Year	Uninsured rate	90% margin of error
2014	9.8%	±0.5 points
2015	10.2%	±0.6 points
2016	8.7%	±0.5 points
2017	9.1%	±0.6 points
2018	9.8%	±0.6 points
2019	10.2%	±0.7 points
2020	Not released	—
2021	9.5%	±0.8 points
2022	8.1%	±0.5 points
2023	8.3%	±0.7 points
2024	8.1%	±0.7 points

Method and limitations

FactVote uses the Census Bureau's HIC-4_ACS historical table. Rates and 90% confidence margins of error are the published ACS 1-year estimates for the civilian noninstitutionalized population.

The Census Bureau did not release the standard 2020 ACS 1-year estimates because pandemic-era data collection did not meet its quality standards; the chart preserves that gap.
The rate is a survey estimate and the accompanying margin of error should be considered when comparing nearby values.
Coverage is measured at the interview and does not show how long someone was uninsured during the year.

Health outcomes

Life expectancy at birth

77.3 yearsat birth

Period life expectancy at birth based on South Dakota's annual complete life tables and final state-specific death data.

Life expectancy at birth

U.S. comparison & state rank2022

Life expectancy

South Dakota: 77.3 years
U.S. benchmark: 77.5 years
State rank #1 has the highest life expectancy — better: #24 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.CDC National Center for Health Statistics: U.S. state life tables, 2018–2022

View chart data

Year	Life expectancy at birth
2018	78.9 years
2019	78.4 years
2020	76.7 years
2021	76.6 years
2022	77.3 years

Method and limitations

FactVote uses CDC National Center for Health Statistics annual complete life-table estimates for the total South Dakota population. Values are rounded to the published tenth of a year.

The latest published comparable state series ends in 2022, even though newer national life-expectancy estimates may be available.
Period life expectancy summarizes current mortality rates; it is not a forecast of how long a particular person will live.
The 2020 and 2021 estimates reflect the mortality shock during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Education

Public schools, school choice, teachers, and higher education.

Education

93.2%

Adults with at least a high school diploma

2020–2024 estimate

Share of South Dakota residents age 25 and older whose reported attainment is a regular high school diploma or equivalent (including GED or an alternative credential), some college, or an associate’s or higher degree.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, sourced from the American Community Survey 2020–2024 five-year estimate.

Keep in mind

This is an adult educational-attainment measure, not a current high-school graduation rate or a measure of school quality.
A statewide estimate can obscure differences across communities and demographic groups.

Related state trends

Education over time

Comparable NAEP assessment years show changes in statewide reading and mathematics performance.

Education

NAEP reading and math scores

214.1Grade 4 reading

Grade 4 and Grade 8 public-school mean scale scores from the Nation's Report Card. Reading and math are shown within each grade on their own panel.

Reading · circle
Math · square

Grade 4 reading: 214.1
Grade 4 math: 239.9
Grade 8 reading: 259.9
Grade 8 math: 281.1

U.S. comparison & state rank2024

Grade 4 reading

South Dakota: 214.1
U.S. benchmark: 215.0
State rank #1 has the highest score — better: #30 of 50

Grade 4 math

South Dakota: 239.9
U.S. benchmark: 237.5
State rank #1 has the highest score — better: #11 of 50

Grade 8 reading

South Dakota: 259.9
U.S. benchmark: 258.0
State rank #1 has the highest score — better: #16 of 50

Grade 8 math

South Dakota: 281.1
U.S. benchmark: 273.8
State rank #1 has the highest score — better: #6 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.State ranks use public-school results. The U.S. benchmark includes the national public- and nonpublic-school sample.U.S. Department of Education, NCES: NAEP national results

View chart data

Assessment year	Grade 4 reading	Grade 4 math	Grade 8 reading	Grade 8 math
2003	222.3	237.3	270.0	284.9
2005	222.4	241.6	268.5	287.3
2007	223.4	241.2	269.6	288.5
2009	222.2	242.1	270.1	290.6
2011	219.8	241.0	268.9	290.6
2013	217.9	241.0	268.1	287.3
2015	220.5	239.7	267.1	284.6
2017	221.8	241.6	267.4	286.4
2019	222.0	241.3	262.8	287.1
2022	218.1	239.0	261.8	281.4
2024	214.1	239.9	259.9	281.1

Method and limitations

FactVote uses NAEP Data Service mean scale scores for all public-school students in South Dakota. The series uses the total student group and the main reading and mathematics composite scales for Grade 4 and Grade 8.

NAEP is generally administered every two years; the 2021 administration was postponed, so the timeline moves from 2019 to 2022.
NAEP results are estimates from a sample. Statistical significance, not a visual gap alone, determines whether scores differ.
Each grade and subject has its own scale. Follow one line over time rather than comparing the numeric distance between grades or subjects.

Environment and energy

Clean water, conservation, climate, and energy production.

Environment

10.87¢/kWh

Average retail electricity price

2024

Average retail electricity revenue per kilowatthour across customer sectors in the EIA state profile.

View breakdowns and source

Electric system

Primary generation source: Wind
In-state net generation: 20.9 million MWh
Carbon dioxide emissions: 3.016 million metric tons

How it was measured

U.S. Energy Information Administration Forms EIA-860, EIA-861, and EIA-923.

Keep in mind

The statewide average is not every customer's bill or current utility rate.
In-state generation differs from power consumed because electricity crosses state lines.

Environment

$3.89/gal

Midwest regular gasoline price

Week of September 7, 2026

Estimated average retail price of regular-grade gasoline across all formulations in EIA's Midwest region, including taxes. The region contains Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

South Dakota$3.894/gal

United States$4.157/gal

The Midwest average was $0.263 per gallon lower, or about 6.3% below the U.S. average.

View breakdowns and source

South Dakota and U.S. context

Regular gasoline price

South Dakota: $3.894/gal
United States: $4.157/gal

The Midwest average was $0.263 per gallon lower, or about 6.3% below the U.S. average.

Both figures are EIA weekly retail estimates for regular gasoline, including taxes, for the week of September 7, 2026. The South Dakota-side figure is the Midwest regional average, not a South Dakota statewide estimate.U.S. Energy Information Administration: U.S. Regular All Formulations Retail Gasoline Prices

Recent EIA observations

Prior week: $3.847/gal
Weekly change: +4.7¢
One year earlier: $3.055/gal
Change from one year earlier: +83.9¢

How it was measured

FactVote uses EIA’s Midwest series, the smallest current EIA retail region that includes South Dakota. Changes are calculated from the published August 31, 2026 (prior week), and September 8, 2025 (52 weeks earlier), observations.

Keep in mind

EIA does not publish a current South Dakota statewide weekly gasoline-price series. This Midwest regional estimate should not be read as South Dakota’s statewide average.
The regional average combines Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, and does not represent the price at every station or in every South Dakota community.
Prices are nominal and not adjusted for inflation or seasonal patterns. Weekly estimates can be revised and can differ from monthly averages.
Price changes alone do not establish the effect of any bill, official, or government action.

Related state trends

Environment over time

South Dakota electricity generation, residential power prices, and gasoline prices show how the state's energy costs and supply have changed.

Energy

Electricity mix and residential price

12.86¢/kWhresidential average

In-state utility-scale electricity generation by energy source is paired with the annual average residential electricity price on a separate scale.

Natural gas10.8%
Coal7.5%
Nuclear0.0%
Solar1.6%
Hydroelectric22.0%
Wind57.8%
Other0.2%

Residential price: 12.86¢/kWh
Total generation: 20.9 TWh
Largest source: Wind · 57.8%

U.S. comparison & state rank2024

Residential electricity price

South Dakota: 12.86¢/kWh
U.S. benchmark: 16.48¢/kWh
State rank #1 has the highest electricity price — worse: #38 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.U.S. Energy Information Administration: National residential electricity price

View chart data

Year	Total generation	Natural gas	Coal	Solar	Hydroelectric	Wind	Other	Residential price
2015	9.633 TWh	0.773 TWh	1.495 TWh	0.000 TWh	4.850 TWh	2.498 TWh	0.017 TWh	11.08¢/kWh
2016	11.524 TWh	0.919 TWh	2.083 TWh	0.000 TWh	4.806 TWh	3.714 TWh	0.003 TWh	11.47¢/kWh
2017	10.936 TWh	0.654 TWh	2.062 TWh	0.002 TWh	5.256 TWh	2.958 TWh	0.003 TWh	11.77¢/kWh
2018	12.616 TWh	1.168 TWh	2.339 TWh	0.002 TWh	6.266 TWh	2.835 TWh	0.006 TWh	11.59¢/kWh
2019	14.507 TWh	1.170 TWh	2.617 TWh	0.002 TWh	7.915 TWh	2.789 TWh	0.014 TWh	11.55¢/kWh
2020	14.147 TWh	1.102 TWh	1.648 TWh	0.002 TWh	5.831 TWh	5.544 TWh	0.019 TWh	11.75¢/kWh
2021	17.322 TWh	1.312 TWh	1.638 TWh	0.002 TWh	4.983 TWh	9.327 TWh	0.061 TWh	12.22¢/kWh
2022	17.900 TWh	1.424 TWh	1.875 TWh	0.002 TWh	4.259 TWh	10.295 TWh	0.046 TWh	12.09¢/kWh
2023	17.436 TWh	2.116 TWh	1.563 TWh	0.047 TWh	4.296 TWh	9.376 TWh	0.040 TWh	12.32¢/kWh
2024	20.872 TWh	2.261 TWh	1.563 TWh	0.338 TWh	4.601 TWh	12.074 TWh	0.036 TWh	12.86¢/kWh

Method and limitations

FactVote uses EIA's annual utility-scale net generation series and groups sources into seven categories. The residential price is EIA's annual average revenue per kilowatthour and includes generation, transmission, distribution, taxes, and fees reflected in electric bills.

Generation is electricity produced inside South Dakota, not electricity consumed there; interstate imports and exports are not represented.
The consistent utility-scale series excludes estimated generation from small-scale solar systems under 1 megawatt. Hydroelectric combines conventional and pumped-storage net generation; the 'other' category is the residual of remaining reported energy sources.
The residential price is a statewide nominal average and can mask large differences among utilities, plans, and household usage.

Fuel cost

Monthly regular gasoline price

$3.714/galmonthly average

Monthly regular-grade gasoline prices in EIA’s Midwest region show the market trend surrounding South Dakota. The regional average includes South Dakota.

Regular gasoline · monthly average

Price: $3.714/gal
From prior month: −14.4¢
From one year earlier: +71.0¢

U.S. comparison & state rank2026-07

Regular gasoline

South Dakota: $3.714/gal
U.S. benchmark: $3.932/gal
State rank #1 has the highest gasoline price — worse: #32* of 49

* EIA does not publish a current South Dakota statewide monthly gasoline-price series; this chart uses a 15-state regional average, not a statewide measurement.

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.Gasoline ranks cover states with a published FactVote monthly series. An asterisk marks an EIA regional or metro proxy rather than a statewide measurement.U.S. Energy Information Administration: U.S. regular gasoline prices

View chart data

Month	Regular gasoline price
January 2020	$2.409/gal
February 2020	$2.309/gal
March 2020	$2.036/gal
April 2020	$1.542/gal
May 2020	$1.748/gal
June 2020	$2.014/gal
July 2020	$2.098/gal
August 2020	$2.072/gal
September 2020	$2.047/gal
October 2020	$2.023/gal
November 2020	$1.957/gal
December 2020	$2.076/gal
January 2021	$2.231/gal
February 2021	$2.409/gal
March 2021	$2.724/gal
April 2021	$2.776/gal
May 2021	$2.882/gal
June 2021	$2.973/gal
July 2021	$3.035/gal
August 2021	$3.034/gal
September 2021	$3.044/gal
October 2021	$3.158/gal
November 2021	$3.211/gal
December 2021	$3.069/gal
January 2022	$3.112/gal
February 2022	$3.357/gal
March 2022	$4.024/gal
April 2022	$3.915/gal
May 2022	$4.260/gal
June 2022	$4.879/gal
July 2022	$4.496/gal
August 2022	$3.809/gal
September 2022	$3.590/gal
October 2022	$3.744/gal
November 2022	$3.587/gal
December 2022	$3.014/gal
January 2023	$3.217/gal
February 2023	$3.231/gal
March 2023	$3.270/gal
April 2023	$3.512/gal
May 2023	$3.454/gal
June 2023	$3.471/gal
July 2023	$3.436/gal
August 2023	$3.701/gal
September 2023	$3.666/gal
October 2023	$3.371/gal
November 2023	$3.138/gal
December 2023	$2.887/gal
January 2024	$2.829/gal
February 2024	$3.044/gal
March 2024	$3.318/gal
April 2024	$3.441/gal
May 2024	$3.430/gal
June 2024	$3.312/gal
July 2024	$3.411/gal
August 2024	$3.338/gal
September 2024	$3.091/gal
October 2024	$3.016/gal
November 2024	$2.888/gal
December 2024	$2.881/gal
January 2025	$2.942/gal
February 2025	$2.956/gal
March 2025	$2.954/gal
April 2025	$3.029/gal
May 2025	$3.013/gal
June 2025	$3.019/gal
July 2025	$3.004/gal
August 2025	$3.028/gal
September 2025	$3.012/gal
October 2025	$2.856/gal
November 2025	$2.876/gal
December 2025	$2.672/gal
January 2026	$2.633/gal
February 2026	$2.674/gal
March 2026	$3.371/gal
April 2026	$3.833/gal
May 2026	$4.389/gal
June 2026	$3.858/gal
July 2026	$3.714/gal
August 2026	$3.893/gal

Method and limitations

FactVote uses EIA’s monthly Midwest (PADD 2) Regular All Formulations Retail Gasoline Prices series. Monthly averages are simple averages of the published weekly estimates; prices include taxes.

This regional series covers Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin; it is not a South Dakota statewide average.
The regional average masks differences among states, communities, and individual stations.
Prices are nominal and not adjusted for inflation or seasonal patterns. The monthly series ends in August 2026 and can differ from the weekly fact.
Price changes alone do not establish the effect of any bill, official, or government action.

Gun policy and public safety

Firearm rights, gun-safety rules, and violence prevention.

Gun policy

159

Firearm deaths

2024 final data

Deaths in which firearm injury was the underlying cause, with the rate age-adjusted per 100,000 residents.

View breakdowns and source

Population-adjusted measure

Age-adjusted firearm death rate: 17.3 per 100,000

How it was measured

CDC National Vital Statistics System death-certificate data.

Keep in mind

The total combines firearm deaths across intents, including suicide, homicide, legal intervention, and unintentional or undetermined injury.
It does not measure nonfatal injuries, firearm ownership, defensive uses, or policy effects.

Social Security, Medicare, and retirement

Retirement benefits, Medicare, and the long-term financing of these programs.

Immigration and border policy

Border enforcement, legal immigration, and pathways to citizenship.

Immigration

4.0%

Residents who are foreign-born

2020–2024 estimate

Share of South Dakota residents who were not U.S. citizens at birth, including naturalized citizens, lawful noncitizens, and people without lawful status.

View breakdowns and source

How it was measured

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, sourced from the American Community Survey 2020–2024 five-year estimate.

Keep in mind

Foreign-born is not a measure of unauthorized immigration or current border crossings.
The Census does not assign legal status in this measure.

Related state trends

Immigration over time

Population change is separated into natural change, domestic migration, and international migration.

People

Population growth and migration

935.1Kresidents

July 1 population estimates alongside the annual changes attributable to births minus deaths, domestic migration, and international migration.

Population
Births minus deaths
Domestic migration
International migration

Births minus deaths: +2.6K
Domestic migration: +2.2K
International migration: +3.2K

U.S. comparison & state rank2025

Population

South Dakota: 935,094
U.S. total: 341,784,857
State rank #1 is most populous — not a performance ranking: #46 of 50

Ranks sort the measured value from highest to lowest. Each State rank explains what #1 means for that fact.U.S. Census Bureau: Vintage 2025 national population estimates

View chart data

Year	Population	Natural change	Domestic migration	International migration	Residual
2020	887,808	—	—	—	—
2021	896,303	1,192	6,178	1,100	25
2022	909,156	1,962	8,168	2,380	343
2023	917,739	2,597	4,514	1,361	111
2024	927,110	2,622	1,930	4,754	65
2025	935,094	2,605	2,169	3,183	27

Method and limitations

FactVote uses the Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 consistent state series. Population is the July 1 estimate. Change components describe the preceding annual estimates period, and the Census residual adjustment reconciles the components to the published population change.

Vintage estimates are revised as the Census Bureau incorporates newer records and methods.
Domestic and international migration are modeled demographic estimates, not direct counts of every move.
The small residual adjustment is included in the data table but not drawn as a separate bar.

Voting, democracy, and government accountability

Voting access, election administration, ethics, transparency, and corruption.

Democracy and accountability

69.93%

Registered-voter turnout

November 5, 2024 general election

Share of registered South Dakota voters recorded as participating in the November 2024 general election.

View breakdowns and source

2024 turnout comparison

General election turnout: 69.93%
Primary election turnoutJune 4, 2024 primary election: 16.65%

South Dakota's official historical table reports 100,505 primary ballots among 603,587 registered voters.

The Secretary of State's primary denominator includes all registered voters, although party-registration and ballot-access rules affect which primary ballots individual voters may select.
Primary and general elections present different contests and participation incentives.

South Dakota Secretary of State: Voter Registration/Turnout Statistics 1988–2024 — Primary Review by January 31, 2027

How it was measured

The South Dakota Secretary of State reports 436,478 voters among 624,175 registered voters, or 69.93% after official rounding.

Keep in mind

This is registered-voter turnout, not participation among every voting-eligible resident; the same official table reports turnout as 62.00% of the voting-age population.
Turnout does not by itself measure election access, administration quality, confidence, or the effect of a specific rule.

Abortion and reproductive rights

Access to abortion and reproductive healthcare.

Reproductive rights

Abortions performed in South Dakota

2025

Induced abortions reported as performed in South Dakota during 2025, regardless of the patient's state of residence.

View breakdowns and source

Patient residence

Performed on South Dakota residents: 1
Performed on nonresidents: 1

How it was measured

South Dakota Department of Health annual administrative report compiled from physician reporting forms required under state law. FactVote calculates the nonresident count as the total performed in the state minus the number performed on South Dakota residents.

Keep in mind

This is an occurrence count, not a count of abortions obtained by South Dakota residents; one of the two reported abortions was performed on a South Dakota resident.
The report does not include abortions obtained outside South Dakota by state residents, and the very small count makes percentage comparisons unstable.

Facts are shown for context only and do not affect candidate matching or rankings. Dates, definitions, limitations, and primary sources are included with each figure.

State trends

How South Dakota is changing

Nine trend views cover population, work, housing, public safety, education, health coverage, longevity, gasoline prices, and energy. Gasoline uses an explicitly labeled regional average; other charts use South Dakota statewide measures. Each chart now sits directly beneath its related fact section.

South Dakota

FY2027 all-funds general appropriations

Fiscal year ended June 30, 2025

Taxes and the economy

How it was measured

Unemployment rate

Housing and property costs

How it was measured

Home-price growth

Income growth

Public safety and criminal justice

How it was measured

How it was measured

Population-adjusted measure

How it was measured

Violent-crime rate

Property-crime rate

Healthcare

How it was measured

Uninsured rate

Life expectancy

Education

How it was measured

Grade 4 reading

Grade 4 math

Grade 8 reading

Grade 8 math

Environment and energy

Electric system

How it was measured

South Dakota and U.S. context

Recent EIA observations

How it was measured

Residential electricity price

Regular gasoline

Gun policy and public safety

Population-adjusted measure

How it was measured

Social Security, Medicare, and retirement

Selected beneficiary groups

How it was measured

Immigration and border policy

How it was measured

Population

Voting, democracy, and government accountability

2024 turnout comparison

How it was measured

Abortion and reproductive rights

Patient residence

How it was measured