The map above shows Minnesota and South Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Minnesota vs South Dakota Geography
Land area: Minnesota has a land area of 79,632 square miles (206,245 km²), while South Dakota has 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²). Minnesota's land area is 1.1 times (5%) larger than South Dakota's.
Total area: Minnesota: 86,943 square miles (225,182 km²) vs South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²), including inland and coastal water. Minnesota's total area is 1.1 times (13%) larger than South Dakota's.
Length: Minnesota is 408 miles (657 km) long from north to south; South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km). South Dakota's north-south length is 1.1 times (9%) longer than Minnesota's.
Width: Minnesota spans 360 miles (580 km) east to west; South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km). Minnesota and South Dakota have about the same east-west width.
Highest point: Minnesota's highest point is Eagle Mountain at 2,292 feet (699 m); South Dakota's is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m). Black Elk Peak is 4,906 feet higher than Eagle Mountain.
Lowest point: Minnesota's lowest point is Lake Superior at 601 feet; South Dakota's is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet. Minnesota's lowest point is 365 feet lower.
Minnesota vs South Dakota Population and History
Population: Minnesota has a population of 5,793,151 (2024), while South Dakota has 924,669 (2024). Minnesota's population is 6.3 times (527%) larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: Minnesota: 72.7 people per square mile vs South Dakota: 12.2. Minnesota's population density is 6.0 times (496%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: Minnesota's biggest city is Minneapolis with 428,579 people; South Dakota's is Sioux Falls with 209,289. Minneapolis' population is 2.0 times (105%) larger than Sioux Falls'.
Largest metro area: Minnesota's largest metropolitan area is Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area (3,757,952 people) vs South Dakota's Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266). Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area's population is 12.2 times larger than Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's.
History: Minnesota: Admitted to the Union on May 11, 1858, as the 32nd state. South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. In its current form, Minnesota is the older of the two by 31 years.
Minnesota vs South Dakota Economy
GDP: Minnesota's GDP is $507.7 billion (2024) vs South Dakota's $76.8 billion. Minnesota's economic output is 6.6 times (561%) larger than South Dakota's.
GDP per capita: Minnesota: $87,636 per person vs South Dakota: $83,052. Minnesota's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (6%) higher than South Dakota's.
Average income: Minnesota: $75,603 vs South Dakota: $75,699 average income per person (per capita personal income). Minnesota and South Dakota have about the same average income.
Minnesota vs South Dakota Counties
Number of counties: Minnesota has 87 counties, while South Dakota has 66. Minnesota's county count is 1.3 times (32%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest county by area: Minnesota's largest county is St. Louis County at 6,248 square miles; South Dakota's is Meade County at 3,471 square miles. St. Louis County's land area is 1.8 times (80%) larger than Meade County's.
Smallest county by area: Minnesota: Ramsey County (152 sq mi) vs South Dakota: Clay County (412 sq mi). Clay County's land area is 2.7 times (171%) larger than Ramsey County's.
Most populous county: Minnesota: Hennepin County (1,273,334 people) vs South Dakota: Minnehaha County (208,639 people). Hennepin County's population is 6.1 times (510%) larger than Minnehaha County's.
Least populous county: Minnesota: Traverse County (3,134 people) vs South Dakota: Jones County (874 people). Traverse County's population is 3.6 times (259%) larger than Jones County's.
Richest county: Minnesota: Hennepin County ($100,352 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Union County ($146,712). Union County's income is 1.5 times (46%) richer than Hennepin County's.
Poorest county: Minnesota: Pine County ($48,677 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Ziebach County ($32,778). Pine County's income is 1.5 times (49%) richer than Ziebach County's.
Minnesota vs South Dakota Taxes
State income tax: Minnesota has a top income tax rate of 9.85%, while South Dakota has no state income tax. Minnesota's top rate is 9.85 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Minnesota: 1.02% effective rate vs South Dakota: 1.02% of home value per year. The two are essentially equal.
Sales tax: Minnesota: 8.14% combined state and average local rate vs South Dakota: 6.11%. Minnesota's combined rate is 2.03 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Minnesota official website · South Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Minnesota 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.