The map above shows Colorado and South Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Colorado vs South Dakota Geography
Land area: Colorado has a land area of 103,637 square miles (268,419 km²), while South Dakota has 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²). Colorado's land area is 1.4 times (37%) larger than South Dakota's.
Total area: Colorado: 104,095 square miles (269,605 km²) vs South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²), including inland and coastal water. Colorado's total area is 1.3 times (35%) larger than South Dakota's.
Length: Colorado is 467 miles (751 km) long from north to south; South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km). Colorado's north-south length is 1.1 times (5%) longer than South Dakota's.
Width: Colorado spans 387 miles (622 km) east to west; South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km). Colorado and South Dakota have about the same east-west width.
Highest point: Colorado's highest point is Mount Elbert at 14,422 feet (4,396 m); South Dakota's is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m). Mount Elbert is 7,224 feet higher than Black Elk Peak.
Lowest point: Colorado's lowest point is Arikaree River at 3,326 feet; South Dakota's is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet. South Dakota's lowest point is 2,360 feet lower.
Colorado vs South Dakota Population and History
Population: Colorado has a population of 5,957,493 (2024), while South Dakota has 924,669 (2024). Colorado's population is 6.4 times (544%) larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: Colorado: 57.5 people per square mile vs South Dakota: 12.2. Colorado's population density is 4.7 times (371%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: Colorado's biggest city is Denver with 729,019 people; South Dakota's is Sioux Falls with 209,289. Denver's population is 3.5 times (248%) larger than Sioux Falls'.
Largest metro area: Colorado's largest metropolitan area is Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area (3,052,498 people) vs South Dakota's Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266). Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area's population is 9.9 times (890%) larger than Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's.
History: Colorado: Admitted to the Union on August 1, 1876, as the 38th state. South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. In its current form, Colorado is the older of the two by 13 years.
Colorado vs South Dakota Economy
GDP: Colorado's GDP is $557.6 billion (2024) vs South Dakota's $76.8 billion. Colorado's economic output is 7.3 times (626%) larger than South Dakota's.
GDP per capita: Colorado: $93,602 per person vs South Dakota: $83,052. Colorado's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (13%) higher than South Dakota's.
Average income: Colorado: $83,055 vs South Dakota: $75,699 average income per person (per capita personal income). Colorado's average income is 1.1 times (10%) higher than South Dakota's.
Colorado vs South Dakota Counties
Number of counties: Colorado has 64 counties, while South Dakota has 66. Colorado and South Dakota have about the same county count.
Biggest county by area: Colorado's largest county is Las Animas County at 4,773 square miles; South Dakota's is Meade County at 3,471 square miles. Las Animas County's land area is 1.4 times (38%) larger than Meade County's.
Smallest county by area: Colorado: Broomfield County (33 sq mi) vs South Dakota: Clay County (412 sq mi). Clay County's land area is 12.5 times larger than Broomfield County's.
Most populous county: Colorado: El Paso County (752,772 people) vs South Dakota: Minnehaha County (208,639 people). El Paso County's population is 3.6 times (261%) larger than Minnehaha County's.
Least populous county: Colorado: Hinsdale County (747 people) vs South Dakota: Jones County (874 people). Jones County's population is 1.2 times (17%) larger than Hinsdale County's.
Richest county: Colorado: Pitkin County ($275,044 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Union County ($146,712). Pitkin County's income is 1.9 times (87%) richer than Union County's.
Poorest county: Colorado: Crowley County ($27,232 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Ziebach County ($32,778). Ziebach County's income is 1.2 times (20%) richer than Crowley County's.
Colorado vs South Dakota Taxes
State income tax: Colorado has a top income tax rate of 4.4%, while South Dakota has no state income tax. Colorado's top rate is 4.4 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Colorado: 0.49% effective rate vs South Dakota: 1.02% of home value per year. South Dakota's rate is 0.53 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Colorado: 7.89% combined state and average local rate vs South Dakota: 6.11%. Colorado's combined rate is 1.78 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Colorado official website · South Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Colorado 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.