The map above shows Mississippi and South Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Mississippi vs South Dakota Geography
Land area: Mississippi has a land area of 46,925 square miles (121,534 km²), while South Dakota has 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²). South Dakota's land area is 1.6 times (62%) larger than Mississippi's.
Total area: Mississippi: 48,436 square miles (125,448 km²) vs South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²), including inland and coastal water. South Dakota's total area is 1.6 times (59%) larger than Mississippi's.
Length: Mississippi is 337 miles (542 km) long from north to south; South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km). South Dakota's north-south length is 1.3 times (31%) longer than Mississippi's.
Width: Mississippi spans 340 miles (547 km) east to west; South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km). South Dakota's east-west width is 1.1 times (9%) wider than Mississippi's.
Highest point: Mississippi's highest point is Woodall Mountain at 805 feet (245 m); South Dakota's is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m). Black Elk Peak is 6,393 feet higher than Woodall Mountain.
Lowest point: Mississippi's lowest point is Gulf of Mexico at 0 feet; South Dakota's is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet. Mississippi's lowest point is 966 feet lower.
Mississippi vs South Dakota Population and History
Population: Mississippi has a population of 2,943,045 (2024), while South Dakota has 924,669 (2024). Mississippi's population is 3.2 times (218%) larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: Mississippi: 62.7 people per square mile vs South Dakota: 12.2. Mississippi's population density is 5.1 times (414%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: Mississippi's biggest city is Jackson with 141,449 people; South Dakota's is Sioux Falls with 209,289. Sioux Falls' population is 1.5 times (48%) larger than Jackson's.
Largest metro area: Mississippi's largest metropolitan area is Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (1,339,345 people) vs South Dakota's Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266). Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area's population is 4.3 times (334%) larger than Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's.
History: Mississippi: Admitted to the Union on December 10, 1817, as the 20th state. South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. In its current form, Mississippi is the older of the two by 72 years.
Mississippi vs South Dakota Economy
GDP: Mississippi's GDP is $158.2 billion (2024) vs South Dakota's $76.8 billion. Mississippi's economic output is 2.1 times (106%) larger than South Dakota's.
GDP per capita: Mississippi: $53,751 per person vs South Dakota: $83,052. South Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.5 times (55%) higher than Mississippi's.
Average income: Mississippi: $52,074 vs South Dakota: $75,699 average income per person (per capita personal income). South Dakota's average income is 1.5 times (45%) higher than Mississippi's.
Mississippi vs South Dakota Counties
Number of counties: Mississippi has 82 counties, while South Dakota has 66. Mississippi's county count is 1.2 times (24%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest county by area: Mississippi's largest county is Yazoo County at 922 square miles; South Dakota's is Meade County at 3,471 square miles. Meade County's land area is 3.8 times (276%) larger than Yazoo County's.
Smallest county by area: Mississippi: Alcorn County (400 sq mi) vs South Dakota: Clay County (412 sq mi). Alcorn County and Clay County have about the same land area.
Most populous county: Mississippi: Harrison County (213,730 people) vs South Dakota: Minnehaha County (208,639 people). Harrison County and Minnehaha County have about the same population.
Least populous county: Mississippi: Issaquena County (1,295 people) vs South Dakota: Jones County (874 people). Issaquena County's population is 1.5 times (48%) larger than Jones County's.
Richest county: Mississippi: Madison County ($90,668 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Union County ($146,712). Union County's income is 1.6 times (62%) richer than Madison County's.
Poorest county: Mississippi: Issaquena County ($27,264 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Ziebach County ($32,778). Ziebach County's income is 1.2 times (20%) richer than Issaquena County's.
Mississippi vs South Dakota Taxes
State income tax: Mississippi has a top income tax rate of 4%, while South Dakota has no state income tax. Mississippi's top rate is 4 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Mississippi: 0.65% effective rate vs South Dakota: 1.02% of home value per year. South Dakota's rate is 0.37 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Mississippi: 7.06% combined state and average local rate vs South Dakota: 6.11%. Mississippi's combined rate is 0.95 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Mississippi official website · South Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Mississippi 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.