The map above shows Massachusetts and South Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Massachusetts vs South Dakota Geography
Land area: Massachusetts has a land area of 7,801 square miles (20,204 km²), while South Dakota has 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²). South Dakota's land area is 9.7 times (872%) larger than Massachusetts'.
Total area: Massachusetts: 10,554 square miles (27,335 km²) vs South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²), including inland and coastal water. South Dakota's total area is 7.3 times (631%) larger than Massachusetts'.
Length: Massachusetts is 123 miles (198 km) long from north to south; South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km). South Dakota's north-south length is 3.6 times (260%) longer than Massachusetts'.
Width: Massachusetts spans 185 miles (297 km) east to west; South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km). South Dakota's east-west width is 2.0 times (101%) wider than Massachusetts'.
Highest point: Massachusetts's highest point is Mount Greylock at 3,489 feet (1,063 m); South Dakota's is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m). Black Elk Peak is 3,709 feet higher than Mount Greylock.
Lowest point: Massachusetts's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; South Dakota's is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet. Massachusetts's lowest point is 966 feet lower.
Massachusetts vs South Dakota Population and History
Population: Massachusetts has a population of 7,136,171 (2024), while South Dakota has 924,669 (2024). Massachusetts' population is 7.7 times (672%) larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: Massachusetts: 914.8 people per square mile vs South Dakota: 12.2. Massachusetts' population density is 75.0 times higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: Massachusetts's biggest city is Boston with 673,458 people; South Dakota's is Sioux Falls with 209,289. Boston's population is 3.2 times (222%) larger than Sioux Falls'.
Largest metro area: Massachusetts's largest metropolitan area is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area (5,025,517 people) vs South Dakota's Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266). Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area's population is 16.3 times larger than Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's.
History: Massachusetts: Admitted to the Union on February 6, 1788, as the 6th state. South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. In its current form, Massachusetts is the older of the two by 101 years.
Massachusetts vs South Dakota Economy
GDP: Massachusetts's GDP is $778.5 billion (2024) vs South Dakota's $76.8 billion. Massachusetts' economic output is 10.1 times larger than South Dakota's.
GDP per capita: Massachusetts: $109,095 per person vs South Dakota: $83,052. Massachusetts' GDP per capita is 1.3 times (31%) higher than South Dakota's.
Average income: Massachusetts: $93,607 vs South Dakota: $75,699 average income per person (per capita personal income). Massachusetts' average income is 1.2 times (24%) higher than South Dakota's.
Massachusetts vs South Dakota Counties
Number of counties: Massachusetts has 14 counties, while South Dakota has 66. South Dakota's county count is 4.7 times (371%) higher than Massachusetts'.
Biggest county by area: Massachusetts's largest county is Worcester County at 1,511 square miles; South Dakota's is Meade County at 3,471 square miles. Meade County's land area is 2.3 times (130%) larger than Worcester County's.
Smallest county by area: Massachusetts: Nantucket County (46 sq mi) vs South Dakota: Clay County (412 sq mi). Clay County's land area is 8.9 times (792%) larger than Nantucket County's.
Most populous county: Massachusetts: Middlesex County (1,668,956 people) vs South Dakota: Minnehaha County (208,639 people). Middlesex County's population is 8.0 times (700%) larger than Minnehaha County's.
Least populous county: Massachusetts: Nantucket County (14,670 people) vs South Dakota: Jones County (874 people). Nantucket County's population is 16.8 times larger than Jones County's.
Richest county: Massachusetts: Nantucket County ($129,250 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Union County ($146,712). Union County's income is 1.1 times (14%) richer than Nantucket County's.
Poorest county: Massachusetts: Hampshire County ($65,432 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Ziebach County ($32,778). Hampshire County's income is 2.0 times (100%) richer than Ziebach County's.
Massachusetts vs South Dakota Taxes
State income tax: Massachusetts has a top income tax rate of 9%, while South Dakota has no state income tax. Massachusetts's top rate is 9 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Massachusetts: 1% effective rate vs South Dakota: 1.02% of home value per year. South Dakota's rate is 0.02 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Massachusetts: 6.25% combined state and average local rate vs South Dakota: 6.11%. Massachusetts's combined rate is 0.14 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Massachusetts official website · South Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Massachusetts 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.