Which has more people, Rhode Island or South Dakota?

Rhode Island has a population of 1,118,627 (44th of 51 US states) and South Dakota has 943,078 (46th of 51).

How do Rhode Island and South Dakota compare on Median Household Income?

Median Household Income: Rhode Island $87,796 (15th of 51), South Dakota $75,081 (31st of 51) among US states. Rhode Island ranks better.

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

Unemployment Rate (%): Rhode Island 4.5% (tied 37th of 51), South Dakota 2.1% (1st of 51) among US states. South Dakota ranks better.

Where does Rhode Island beat South Dakota most clearly?

Rhode Island ranks far ahead on Annual Cost Increase (Grocery Prices by State): 3.1% vs 12.6%; Median Income - Seven-or-More Person Household (Median Household Income by State): $199,214 vs $73,826; Female Prisoner Rate (Prison Population by State): 6 per 100k vs 125 per 100k.

Where does South Dakota beat Rhode Island most clearly?

South Dakota ranks far ahead on Annual Cost (Assisted Living Costs by State): $40,200 vs $81,915; Cocaine Use Rate (Per 100k) (Drug Use by State): 385.47 vs 861.52; Other Drug Use Rate (Per 100k) (Drug Use by State): 42.07 vs 75.33.

Rhode Island vs South Dakota

Rhode Island comes out ahead of South Dakota on 385 of 775 statistics where one end is better, to 378 with 12 ties. Rhode Island leads on Crime & Safety, Health and Tech & Business and 5 more categories. South Dakota leads on Agriculture, Infrastructure & Energy and Facts & Trivia and 4 more categories.

775 statistics with a better end, compared

Each counts once for the place that ranks better; 12 ties. Totals that mostly track population are left out.

Rhode Island

Wins: 385
Avg. percentile: 54
Categories led: 8

South Dakota

Wins: 378
Avg. percentile: 52
Categories led: 7

At a glance

Headline statistics, each ranked among all US states.

Statistic	Rhode Island	South Dakota
Population	1,118,627 44th of 51	943,078 46th of 51
Median Household IncomeHousing, Income and Commutes by State (Census)	$87,796 15th of 51	$75,081 31st of 51
Unemployment Rate (%)Unemployment Rate by State (BLS)	4.5% tied 37th of 51	2.1% 1st of 51
Poverty Rate (%)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census)	11.2% 22nd of 51	11.9% 27th of 51
Price Level (All Items)Cost of Living by State (Regional Price Parities)	102.3 37th of 51	88.6 6th of 51
Real Personal Income per Person (2017 Dollars)Real Personal Income by State	$55,878 35th of 51	$69,153 5th of 51
Average Annual Wage, All JobsAverage Wage by State (BLS)	$71,900 13th of 51	$57,610 45th of 51
Median Rent (Monthly, Capped at $3,501)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census)	$1,342 30th of 51	$946 2nd of 51
Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by State (FBI)	144.1 4th of 51	307.5 28th of 51
Heating Degree Days per YearClimate by State (1991–2020 Averages)	5,761 29th of 48	7,633 42nd of 48

By category

Average percentile on each category's widely ranked statistics.

AgricultureSouth Dakota · 17 statistics
Infrastructure & EnergySouth Dakota · 36 statistics
Crime & SafetyRhode Island · 70 statistics
Facts & TriviaSouth Dakota · 18 statistics
HealthRhode Island · 182 statistics
TravelSouth Dakota · 29 statistics
Tech & BusinessRhode Island · 48 statistics
LawSouth Dakota · 62 statistics
GeographySouth Dakota · 25 statistics
PopulationRhode Island · 122 statistics
Politics & GovernmentRhode Island · 119 statistics
EducationRhode Island · 51 statistics
EconomicsRhode Island · 285 statistics
EnvironmentSouth Dakota · 36 statistics
SportsRhode Island · 16 statistics
CultureEven · 78 statistics

Biggest differences

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

Statistic	Rhode Island	South Dakota
Annual Cost IncreaseGrocery Prices by State	3.1% 1st of 50	12.6% 50th of 50
Median Income - Seven-or-More Person HouseholdMedian Household Income by State	$199,214 2nd of 51	$73,826 51st of 51
Female Prisoner RatePrison Population by State	6 per 100k 1st of 50	125 per 100k 48th of 50
Annual CostAssisted Living Costs by State	$81,915 49th of 51	$40,200 2nd of 51
Cocaine Use Rate (Per 100k)Drug Use by State	861.52 50th of 51	385.47 3rd of 51
Annual Mean WageDentist Salary by State	$204,770 2nd of 39	$144,860 37th of 39
Hourly Mean WageDentist Salary by State	$98.45 2nd of 39	$69.64 37th of 39
Hourly Median WageDentist Salary by State	$104 1st of 39	$61.83 36th of 39
Median Teacher SalaryTeacher Pay by State	$80,790 4th of 51	$48,010 50th of 51
Other Drug Use Rate (Per 100k)Drug Use by State	75.33 46th of 51	42.07 1st of 51
Annual Mean WageSonographer Salary by State	$96,400 5th of 51	$65,110 49th of 51
Hourly Mean WageSonographer Salary by State	$46.34 5th of 51	$31.30 49th of 51
Minimum Annual SalaryIBEW Pay Scale by State	$112,220 3rd of 51	$56,500 47th of 51
Median Federal Employee IncomeFederal Government Employees by State	$108,402 4th of 50	$77,390 tied 45th of 50
Best Ranch ScoreBest State to Own a Ranch	37.57 49th of 50	56.36 6th of 50
Infrastructure RankWorst States to Live in	6th 6th worst of 50	49th 2nd best of 50
Overall RankFarming-Friendly States	49th 49th of 50	6th 6th of 50
Overall ScoreFarming-Friendly States	37.57 49th of 50	56.36 6th of 50
Personnel RankFarming-Friendly States	50th 50th of 50	7th 7th of 50
ScoreCattle Ranching by State	37.57 49th of 50	56.36 6th of 50
Viability RankFarming-Friendly States	49th 49th of 50	6th 6th of 50
Infant Mortality RateInfant Mortality Rate by State	4.0 3rd of 49	7.3 45th of 49
Dental Services Cost per CapitaHealth Care Costs by State	$366 4th of 51	$577 tied 47th of 51
Annual Median WageSonographer Salary by State	$100,800 tied 4th of 51	$65,300 48th of 51
Hourly Median WageSonographer Salary by State	$48.46 tied 4th of 51	$31.40 48th of 51
Annual Median WageVeterinarian Salary by State	$128,340 2nd of 47	$92,580 42nd of 47
Health Racial Progress RankLeast Racist States	7th 7th of 47	47th 47th of 47
Hourly Mean WageVeterinarian Salary by State	$61.70 2nd of 47	$44.51 42nd of 47
Avg. Internet SpeedAverage Internet Speed by State	433.3 6th of 51	191.7 49th of 51
COLI Utilities Costs IndexLeast Expensive States	140.0 48th of 51	83.5 5th 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, Rhode Island or South Dakota?: Rhode Island comes out ahead of South Dakota on 385 of 775 statistics where one end is better, to 378 with 12 ties. Rhode Island leads on Crime & Safety, Health and Tech & Business and 5 more categories. South Dakota leads on Agriculture, Infrastructure & Energy and Facts & Trivia and 4 more categories. Statistics where neither end is better, and totals that mostly track population, are not counted.
Which has more people, Rhode Island or South Dakota?: Rhode Island has a population of 1,118,627 (44th of 51 US states) and South Dakota has 943,078 (46th of 51).
How do Rhode Island and South Dakota compare on Median Household Income?: Median Household Income: Rhode Island $87,796 (15th of 51), South Dakota $75,081 (31st of 51) among US states. Rhode Island ranks better.
How do Rhode Island and South Dakota compare on Unemployment Rate (%)?: Unemployment Rate (%): Rhode Island 4.5% (tied 37th of 51), South Dakota 2.1% (1st of 51) among US states. South Dakota ranks better.
Where does Rhode Island beat South Dakota most clearly?: Rhode Island ranks far ahead on Annual Cost Increase (Grocery Prices by State): 3.1% vs 12.6%; Median Income - Seven-or-More Person Household (Median Household Income by State): $199,214 vs $73,826; Female Prisoner Rate (Prison Population by State): 6 per 100k vs 125 per 100k.
Where does South Dakota beat Rhode Island most clearly?: South Dakota ranks far ahead on Annual Cost (Assisted Living Costs by State): $40,200 vs $81,915; Cocaine Use Rate (Per 100k) (Drug Use by State): 385.47 vs 861.52; Other Drug Use Rate (Per 100k) (Drug Use by State): 42.07 vs 75.33.

More matchups

Other comparisons with Rhode Island or South Dakota.

All US states matchups