The map above shows Missouri and South Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Missouri vs South Dakota Geography
Land area: Missouri has a land area of 68,746 square miles (178,052 km²), while South Dakota has 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²). South Dakota's land area is 1.1 times (10%) larger than Missouri's.
Total area: Missouri: 69,707 square miles (180,540 km²) vs South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²), including inland and coastal water. South Dakota's total area is 1.1 times (11%) larger than Missouri's.
Length: Missouri is 328 miles (529 km) long from north to south; South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km). South Dakota's north-south length is 1.4 times (35%) longer than Missouri's.
Width: Missouri spans 437 miles (703 km) east to west; South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km). Missouri's east-west width is 1.2 times (18%) wider than South Dakota's.
Highest point: Missouri's highest point is Taum Sauk Mountain at 1,771 feet (540 m); South Dakota's is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m). Black Elk Peak is 5,427 feet higher than Taum Sauk Mountain.
Lowest point: Missouri's lowest point is St. Francis River at 230 feet; South Dakota's is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet. Missouri's lowest point is 736 feet lower.
Missouri vs South Dakota Population and History
Population: Missouri has a population of 6,245,466 (2024), while South Dakota has 924,669 (2024). Missouri's population is 6.8 times (575%) larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: Missouri: 90.8 people per square mile vs South Dakota: 12.2. Missouri's population density is 7.4 times (644%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: Missouri's biggest city is Kansas City with 516,032 people; South Dakota's is Sioux Falls with 209,289. Kansas City's population is 2.5 times (147%) larger than Sioux Falls'.
Largest metro area: Missouri's largest metropolitan area is St. Louis, MO-IL metro area (2,811,927 people) vs South Dakota's Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266). St. Louis, MO-IL metro area's population is 9.1 times (812%) larger than Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's.
History: Missouri: Admitted to the Union on August 10, 1821, as the 24th state. South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. In its current form, Missouri is the older of the two by 68 years.
Missouri vs South Dakota Economy
GDP: Missouri's GDP is $448.7 billion (2024) vs South Dakota's $76.8 billion. Missouri's economic output is 5.8 times (484%) larger than South Dakota's.
GDP per capita: Missouri: $71,846 per person vs South Dakota: $83,052. South Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (16%) higher than Missouri's.
Average income: Missouri: $64,920 vs South Dakota: $75,699 average income per person (per capita personal income). South Dakota's average income is 1.2 times (17%) higher than Missouri's.
Missouri vs South Dakota Counties
Number of counties: Missouri has 115 counties, while South Dakota has 66. Missouri's county count is 1.7 times (74%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest county by area: Missouri's largest county is Texas County at 1,177 square miles; South Dakota's is Meade County at 3,471 square miles. Meade County's land area is 2.9 times (195%) larger than Texas County's.
Smallest county by area: Missouri: St. Louis city (62 sq mi) vs South Dakota: Clay County (412 sq mi). Clay County's land area is 6.7 times (568%) larger than St. Louis city's.
Most populous county: Missouri: St. Louis County (992,929 people) vs South Dakota: Minnehaha County (208,639 people). St. Louis County's population is 4.8 times (376%) larger than Minnehaha County's.
Least populous county: Missouri: Worth County (1,872 people) vs South Dakota: Jones County (874 people). Worth County's population is 2.1 times (114%) larger than Jones County's.
Richest county: Missouri: St. Louis County ($104,775 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Union County ($146,712). Union County's income is 1.4 times (40%) richer than St. Louis County's.
Poorest county: Missouri: Douglas County ($40,515 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Ziebach County ($32,778). Douglas County's income is 1.2 times (24%) richer than Ziebach County's.
Missouri vs South Dakota Taxes
State income tax: Missouri has a top income tax rate of 4.7%, while South Dakota has no state income tax. Missouri's top rate is 4.7 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Missouri: 0.79% effective rate vs South Dakota: 1.02% of home value per year. South Dakota's rate is 0.23 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Missouri: 8.44% combined state and average local rate vs South Dakota: 6.11%. Missouri's combined rate is 2.33 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Missouri official website · South Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Missouri 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.