The map above shows North Carolina and South Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
North Carolina vs South Dakota Geography
Land area: North Carolina has a land area of 48,624 square miles (125,936 km²), while South Dakota has 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²). South Dakota's land area is 1.6 times (56%) larger than North Carolina's.
Total area: North Carolina: 53,819 square miles (139,390 km²) vs South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²), including inland and coastal water. South Dakota's total area is 1.4 times (43%) larger than North Carolina's.
Length: North Carolina is 258 miles (415 km) long from north to south; South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km). South Dakota's north-south length is 1.7 times (72%) longer than North Carolina's.
Width: North Carolina spans 487 miles (784 km) east to west; South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km). North Carolina's east-west width is 1.3 times (31%) wider than South Dakota's.
Highest point: North Carolina's highest point is Mount Mitchell at 6,674 feet (2,034 m); South Dakota's is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m). Black Elk Peak is 524 feet higher than Mount Mitchell.
Lowest point: North Carolina's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; South Dakota's is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet. North Carolina's lowest point is 966 feet lower.
North Carolina vs South Dakota Population and History
Population: North Carolina has a population of 11,046,024 (2024), while South Dakota has 924,669 (2024). North Carolina's population is 11.9 times larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: North Carolina: 227.2 people per square mile vs South Dakota: 12.2. North Carolina's population density is 18.6 times higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: North Carolina's biggest city is Charlotte with 943,476 people; South Dakota's is Sioux Falls with 209,289. Charlotte's population is 4.5 times (351%) larger than Sioux Falls'.
Largest metro area: North Carolina's largest metropolitan area is Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (2,883,370 people) vs South Dakota's Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266). Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area's population is 9.4 times (835%) larger than Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's.
History: North Carolina: Admitted to the Union on November 21, 1789, as the 12th state. South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. In its current form, North Carolina is the older of the two by 100 years.
North Carolina vs South Dakota Economy
GDP: North Carolina's GDP is $844.2 billion (2024) vs South Dakota's $76.8 billion. North Carolina's economic output is 11.0 times larger than South Dakota's.
GDP per capita: North Carolina: $76,427 per person vs South Dakota: $83,052. South Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (9%) higher than North Carolina's.
Average income: North Carolina: $65,634 vs South Dakota: $75,699 average income per person (per capita personal income). South Dakota's average income is 1.2 times (15%) higher than North Carolina's.
North Carolina vs South Dakota Counties
Number of counties: North Carolina has 100 counties, while South Dakota has 66. North Carolina's county count is 1.5 times (52%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest county by area: North Carolina's largest county is Robeson County at 947 square miles; South Dakota's is Meade County at 3,471 square miles. Meade County's land area is 3.7 times (266%) larger than Robeson County's.
Smallest county by area: North Carolina: Chowan County (173 sq mi) vs South Dakota: Clay County (412 sq mi). Clay County's land area is 2.4 times (139%) larger than Chowan County's.
Most populous county: North Carolina: Wake County (1,232,444 people) vs South Dakota: Minnehaha County (208,639 people). Wake County's population is 5.9 times (491%) larger than Minnehaha County's.
Least populous county: North Carolina: Tyrrell County (3,517 people) vs South Dakota: Jones County (874 people). Tyrrell County's population is 4.0 times (302%) larger than Jones County's.
Richest county: North Carolina: Chatham County ($91,638 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Union County ($146,712). Union County's income is 1.6 times (60%) richer than Chatham County's.
Poorest county: North Carolina: Warren County ($40,932 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Ziebach County ($32,778). Warren County's income is 1.2 times (25%) richer than Ziebach County's.
North Carolina vs South Dakota Taxes
State income tax: North Carolina has a top income tax rate of 3.99%, while South Dakota has no state income tax. North Carolina's top rate is 3.99 percentage points higher.
Property tax: North Carolina: 0.61% effective rate vs South Dakota: 1.02% of home value per year. South Dakota's rate is 0.41 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: North Carolina: 7.1% combined state and average local rate vs South Dakota: 6.11%. North Carolina's combined rate is 0.99 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
North Carolina official website · South Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All North Carolina 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.