The map above shows Arizona and South Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Arizona vs South Dakota Geography
Land area: Arizona has a land area of 113,655 square miles (294,366 km²), while South Dakota has 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²). Arizona's land area is 1.5 times (50%) larger than South Dakota's.
Total area: Arizona: 113,985 square miles (295,220 km²) vs South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²), including inland and coastal water. Arizona's total area is 1.5 times (48%) larger than South Dakota's.
Length: Arizona is 429 miles (690 km) long from north to south; South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km). Arizona and South Dakota have about the same north-south length.
Width: Arizona spans 452 miles (727 km) east to west; South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km). Arizona's east-west width is 1.2 times (22%) wider than South Dakota's.
Highest point: Arizona's highest point is Humphreys Peak at 12,620 feet (3,847 m); South Dakota's is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m). Humphreys Peak is 5,422 feet higher than Black Elk Peak.
Lowest point: Arizona's lowest point is Colorado River at 71 feet; South Dakota's is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet. Arizona's lowest point is 895 feet lower.
Arizona vs South Dakota Population and History
Population: Arizona has a population of 7,582,384 (2024), while South Dakota has 924,669 (2024). Arizona's population is 8.2 times (720%) larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: Arizona: 66.7 people per square mile vs South Dakota: 12.2. Arizona's population density is 5.5 times (447%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: Arizona's biggest city is Phoenix with 1,673,164 people; South Dakota's is Sioux Falls with 209,289. Phoenix's population is 8.0 times (699%) larger than Sioux Falls'.
Largest metro area: Arizona's largest metropolitan area is Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (5,186,958 people) vs South Dakota's Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266). Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area's population is 16.8 times larger than Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's.
History: Arizona: Admitted to the Union on February 14, 1912, as the 48th state. South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. In its current form, South Dakota is the older of the two by 23 years.
Arizona vs South Dakota Economy
GDP: Arizona's GDP is $570.1 billion (2024) vs South Dakota's $76.8 billion. Arizona's economic output is 7.4 times (642%) larger than South Dakota's.
GDP per capita: Arizona: $75,186 per person vs South Dakota: $83,052. South Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (10%) higher than Arizona's.
Average income: Arizona: $65,798 vs South Dakota: $75,699 average income per person (per capita personal income). South Dakota's average income is 1.2 times (15%) higher than Arizona's.
Arizona vs South Dakota Counties
Number of counties: Arizona has 15 counties, while South Dakota has 66. South Dakota's county count is 4.4 times (340%) higher than Arizona's.
Biggest county by area: Arizona's largest county is Coconino County at 18,616 square miles; South Dakota's is Meade County at 3,471 square miles. Coconino County's land area is 5.4 times (436%) larger than Meade County's.
Smallest county by area: Arizona: Santa Cruz County (1,236 sq mi) vs South Dakota: Clay County (412 sq mi). Santa Cruz County's land area is 3.0 times (200%) larger than Clay County's.
Most populous county: Arizona: Maricopa County (4,673,096 people) vs South Dakota: Minnehaha County (208,639 people). Maricopa County's population is 22.4 times larger than Minnehaha County's.
Least populous county: Arizona: Greenlee County (9,410 people) vs South Dakota: Jones County (874 people). Greenlee County's population is 10.8 times larger than Jones County's.
Richest county: Arizona: Maricopa County ($72,176 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Union County ($146,712). Union County's income is 2.0 times (103%) richer than Maricopa County's.
Poorest county: Arizona: Graham County ($44,164 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Ziebach County ($32,778). Graham County's income is 1.3 times (35%) richer than Ziebach County's.
Arizona vs South Dakota Taxes
State income tax: Arizona has a top income tax rate of 2.5%, while South Dakota has no state income tax. Arizona's top rate is 2.5 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Arizona: 0.43% effective rate vs South Dakota: 1.02% of home value per year. South Dakota's rate is 0.59 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Arizona: 8.54% combined state and average local rate vs South Dakota: 6.11%. Arizona's combined rate is 2.43 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Arizona official website · South Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Arizona 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.