Which has more people, Montana or South Dakota?

Montana has a population of 1,151,831 (43rd of 51 US states) and South Dakota has 943,078 (46th of 51).

How do Montana and South Dakota compare on Median Household Income?

Median Household Income: Montana $72,509 (37th of 51), South Dakota $75,081 (31st of 51) among US states. South Dakota ranks better.

How do Montana and South Dakota compare on Unemployment Rate (%)?

Unemployment Rate (%): Montana 3.3% (9th of 51), South Dakota 2.1% (1st of 51) among US states. South Dakota ranks better.

Where does Montana beat South Dakota most clearly?

Montana ranks far ahead on LPC License Fee (LPC Requirements by State): $50.00 vs $225; Total Forest Area (Lumber Production by State): 26.3M acres vs 1.9M acres; CAS Legal Executive Corruption Level (1-5) (Most Corrupt States): 2 vs 4.

Where does South Dakota beat Montana most clearly?

South Dakota ranks far ahead on % of Insured Adult Males Age 18-64 Who Undergo Circumcision Each Year (NCBI 2015-2018) (Circumcision Rates by State): 0.195 vs 0.0359; Rates of Circumcision in Insured Adult Males Age 18-64 (NCBI 2015-2018) (Circumcision Rates by State): 194.8 per 100k person-years vs 35.9 per 100k person-years; Avg Cost per Mbps (Internet Costs by State): $0.69 vs $2.63.

Montana vs South Dakota

South Dakota comes out ahead of Montana on 445 of 775 statistics where one end is better, to 312 with 18 ties. Montana leads on Sports, Agriculture and Education. South Dakota leads on Law, Infrastructure & Energy and Population and 9 more categories.

775 statistics with a better end, compared

Each counts once for the place that ranks better; 18 ties. Totals that mostly track population are left out.

Montana

Wins: 312
Avg. percentile: 48
Categories led: 3

South Dakota

Wins: 445
Avg. percentile: 52
Categories led: 12

At a glance

Headline statistics, each ranked among all US states.

Statistic	Montana	South Dakota
Population	1,151,831 43rd of 51	943,078 46th of 51
Median Household IncomeHousing, Income and Commutes by State (Census)	$72,509 37th of 51	$75,081 31st of 51
Unemployment Rate (%)Unemployment Rate by State (BLS)	3.3% 9th of 51	2.1% 1st of 51
Poverty Rate (%)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census)	11.5% 24th of 51	11.9% 27th of 51
Price Level (All Items)Cost of Living by State (Regional Price Parities)	94.6 22nd of 51	88.6 6th of 51
Real Personal Income per Person (2017 Dollars)Real Personal Income by State	$59,203 20th of 51	$69,153 5th of 51
Average Annual Wage, All JobsAverage Wage by State (BLS)	$60,880 38th of 51	$57,610 45th of 51
Median Rent (Monthly, Capped at $3,501)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census)	$1,081 18th of 51	$946 2nd of 51
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by State (FBI)	419.1 42nd of 51	307.5 28th of 51
Heating Degree Days per YearClimate by State (1991–2020 Averages)	8,549 47th of 48	7,633 42nd of 48

By category

Average percentile on each category's widely ranked statistics.

SportsMontana · 16 statistics
AgricultureMontana · 17 statistics
LawSouth Dakota · 60 statistics
Infrastructure & EnergySouth Dakota · 33 statistics
PopulationSouth Dakota · 120 statistics
GeographySouth Dakota · 25 statistics
Tech & BusinessSouth Dakota · 47 statistics
CultureSouth Dakota · 77 statistics
EducationMontana · 51 statistics
EconomicsSouth Dakota · 284 statistics
EnvironmentSouth Dakota · 38 statistics
Facts & TriviaSouth Dakota · 18 statistics
TravelSouth Dakota · 29 statistics
HealthSouth Dakota · 179 statistics
Crime & SafetySouth Dakota · 71 statistics
Politics & GovernmentEven · 119 statistics

Biggest differences

The 30 statistics where their rankings differ most, among rankings of at least 26 US states.

Statistic	Montana	South Dakota
% of Insured Adult Males Age 18-64 Who Undergo Circumcision Each Year (NCBI 2015-2018)Circumcision Rates by State	0.0359 50th of 50	0.195 1st of 50
Rates of Circumcision in Insured Adult Males Age 18-64 (NCBI 2015-2018)Circumcision Rates by State	35.9 per 100k person-years 50th of 50	194.8 per 100k person-years 1st of 50
Avg Cost per MbpsInternet Costs by State	$2.63 50th of 51	$0.69 tied 4th of 51
Religious DiversityLeast Diverse States in the US	45th 45th of 50	2nd 2nd of 50
% of Prisoners in Private PrisonPrivate Prisons by State	38.1% 27th of 27	0.9% tied 5th of 27
LPC License FeeLPC Requirements by State	$50.00 tied 1st of 46	$225 40th of 46
Total Forest AreaLumber Production by State	26.3M acres 4th of 51	1.9M acres 44th of 51
CAS Legal Executive Corruption Level (1-5)Most Corrupt States	2 tied 1st of 48	4 tied 35th of 48
Tot. Sales & Excise Tax BurdenTax Burden by State	1.24% 4th of 50	4.53% 43rd of 50
Prisoners in Private Prison Per 10k PopPrivate Prisons by State	134.1 26th of 27	3.9 6th of 27
Obesity Rate 40-59Most Obese States	35.5% 9th of 50	46.9% 46th of 50
SSI Legislative Accountability ScoreMost Corrupt States	71.3 tied 8th of 50	52.9 45th of 50
Median Price: CondosMedian Home Price by State	$519,400 44th of 51	$225,400 7th of 51
Medical Cannabis CostMarijuana Cost by State	$269 5th of 50	$351 41st of 50
Overall ScoreBest States to Retire	21.96 46th of 50	28.06 10th of 50
SSI Executive Accountability ScoreMost Corrupt States	71 10th of 50	46.9 46th of 50
Avg. Annual Income of Parent Receiving SupportChild Support Percentage by State	$32,459 51st of 51	$51,148 15th of 51
Illicit Drug Use Past MonthDrug Use by State	24.8% 45th of 51	14.2% 9th of 51
Police Pensions Avg. Annual PayPolice Pensions by State	$48,432 45th of 50	$60,629 10th of 50
# Dentists per 1k jobsDentist Salary by State	0.92 10th of 50	0.6 44th of 50
Eggflation (Cost Increase Per Dozen)Egg Prices by State	55.0% 15th of 50	137.0% 49th of 50
State Rank State GovtPublic Land by State	16th 15th of 49	49th 48th of 49
Marijuana Use Past MonthDrug Use by State	23.4% 46th of 51	12.6% 12th of 51
Age-Adjusted Depression RateDepression Rates by State	24.0% 36th of 49	17.2% tied 3rd of 49
Depression RatesHealthiest States	24.7 38th of 50	18.2 6th of 50
Regulatory Policy RankMost Libertarian States	35th 35th of 50	3rd 3rd of 50
Prevalence Of Depression 2021Most Depressed States	22.8% tied 35th of 50	16.5% 4th of 50
Consumer Affairs Overall RankGreenest States	40th 40th of 51	8th 8th of 51
Fishing RankBest States for Fishing	3rd 3rd of 51	35th 35th of 51
Fishing ScoreBest States for Fishing	39.27 3rd of 51	24.64 35th of 51

See every statistic they shareSearch and sort all of them, adjust for cost of living or population, or add up to two more places.

Quick answers

Which is better, Montana or South Dakota?: South Dakota comes out ahead of Montana on 445 of 775 statistics where one end is better, to 312 with 18 ties. Montana leads on Sports, Agriculture and Education. South Dakota leads on Law, Infrastructure & Energy and Population and 9 more categories. Statistics where neither end is better, and totals that mostly track population, are not counted.
Which has more people, Montana or South Dakota?: Montana has a population of 1,151,831 (43rd of 51 US states) and South Dakota has 943,078 (46th of 51).
How do Montana and South Dakota compare on Median Household Income?: Median Household Income: Montana $72,509 (37th of 51), South Dakota $75,081 (31st of 51) among US states. South Dakota ranks better.
How do Montana and South Dakota compare on Unemployment Rate (%)?: Unemployment Rate (%): Montana 3.3% (9th of 51), South Dakota 2.1% (1st of 51) among US states. South Dakota ranks better.
Where does Montana beat South Dakota most clearly?: Montana ranks far ahead on LPC License Fee (LPC Requirements by State): $50.00 vs $225; Total Forest Area (Lumber Production by State): 26.3M acres vs 1.9M acres; CAS Legal Executive Corruption Level (1-5) (Most Corrupt States): 2 vs 4.
Where does South Dakota beat Montana most clearly?: South Dakota ranks far ahead on % of Insured Adult Males Age 18-64 Who Undergo Circumcision Each Year (NCBI 2015-2018) (Circumcision Rates by State): 0.195 vs 0.0359; Rates of Circumcision in Insured Adult Males Age 18-64 (NCBI 2015-2018) (Circumcision Rates by State): 194.8 per 100k person-years vs 35.9 per 100k person-years; Avg Cost per Mbps (Internet Costs by State): $0.69 vs $2.63.

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