The map above shows Alabama and South Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alabama vs South Dakota Geography
Land area: Alabama has a land area of 50,651 square miles (131,185 km²), while South Dakota has 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²). South Dakota's land area is 1.5 times (50%) larger than Alabama's.
Total area: Alabama: 52,420 square miles (135,767 km²) vs South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²), including inland and coastal water. South Dakota's total area is 1.5 times (47%) larger than Alabama's.
Length: Alabama is 331 miles (532 km) long from north to south; South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km). South Dakota's north-south length is 1.3 times (34%) longer than Alabama's.
Width: Alabama spans 212 miles (341 km) east to west; South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km). South Dakota's east-west width is 1.8 times (75%) wider than Alabama's.
Highest point: Alabama's highest point is Cheaha Mountain at 2,405 feet (733 m); South Dakota's is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m). Black Elk Peak is 4,793 feet higher than Cheaha Mountain.
Lowest point: Alabama's lowest point is Gulf of Mexico at 0 feet; South Dakota's is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet. Alabama's lowest point is 966 feet lower.
Alabama vs South Dakota Population and History
Population: Alabama has a population of 5,157,699 (2024), while South Dakota has 924,669 (2024). Alabama's population is 5.6 times (458%) larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: Alabama: 101.8 people per square mile vs South Dakota: 12.2. Alabama's population density is 8.3 times (734%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: Alabama's biggest city is Huntsville with 230,402 people; South Dakota's is Sioux Falls with 209,289. Huntsville's population is 1.1 times (10%) larger than Sioux Falls'.
Largest metro area: Alabama's largest metropolitan area is Birmingham, AL metro area (1,192,583 people) vs South Dakota's Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266). Birmingham, AL metro area's population is 3.9 times (287%) larger than Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's.
History: Alabama: Admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819, as the 22nd state. South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. In its current form, Alabama is the older of the two by 70 years.
Alabama vs South Dakota Economy
GDP: Alabama's GDP is $325.3 billion (2024) vs South Dakota's $76.8 billion. Alabama's economic output is 4.2 times (324%) larger than South Dakota's.
GDP per capita: Alabama: $63,080 per person vs South Dakota: $83,052. South Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.3 times (32%) higher than Alabama's.
Average income: Alabama: $57,311 vs South Dakota: $75,699 average income per person (per capita personal income). South Dakota's average income is 1.3 times (32%) higher than Alabama's.
Alabama vs South Dakota Counties
Number of counties: Alabama has 67 counties, while South Dakota has 66. Alabama and South Dakota have about the same county count.
Biggest county by area: Alabama's largest county is Baldwin County at 1,590 square miles; South Dakota's is Meade County at 3,471 square miles. Meade County's land area is 2.2 times (118%) larger than Baldwin County's.
Smallest county by area: Alabama: Etowah County (535 sq mi) vs South Dakota: Clay County (412 sq mi). Etowah County's land area is 1.3 times (30%) larger than Clay County's.
Most populous county: Alabama: Jefferson County (664,744 people) vs South Dakota: Minnehaha County (208,639 people). Jefferson County's population is 3.2 times (219%) larger than Minnehaha County's.
Least populous county: Alabama: Greene County (7,127 people) vs South Dakota: Jones County (874 people). Greene County's population is 8.2 times (715%) larger than Jones County's.
Richest county: Alabama: Jefferson County ($75,312 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Union County ($146,712). Union County's income is 1.9 times (95%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county: Alabama: Bullock County ($39,403 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Ziebach County ($32,778). Bullock County's income is 1.2 times (20%) richer than Ziebach County's.
Alabama vs South Dakota Taxes
State income tax: Alabama has a top income tax rate of 5%, while South Dakota has no state income tax. Alabama's top rate is 5 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Alabama: 0.38% effective rate vs South Dakota: 1.02% of home value per year. South Dakota's rate is 0.64 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Alabama: 9.46% combined state and average local rate vs South Dakota: 6.11%. Alabama's combined rate is 3.35 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alabama official website · South Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Alabama size comparisons · All South Dakota size comparisons
Area, elevation and boundary figures come from official national statistics and US Census Bureau and Natural Earth boundary data; US state population, economic, county and tax figures come from the US Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Tax Foundation. Figures are rounded and for general reference.