The map above shows United States and South Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
United States vs South Dakota Geography
Land area: United States has a land area of 3,533,467 square miles (9,151,637 km²), while South Dakota has 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²). United States' land area is 46.6 times larger than South Dakota's.
Total area: United States: 3,802,784 square miles (9,849,165 km²) vs South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²), including inland and coastal water. United States' total area is 49.3 times larger than South Dakota's.
Length: United States is 3,628 miles (5,839 km) long from north to south; South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km). United States' north-south length is 8.2 times (719%) longer than South Dakota's.
Width: United States spans 4,824 miles (7,763 km) east to west; South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km). United States' east-west width is 13.0 times wider than South Dakota's.
Highest point: United States's highest point is Denali at 20,308 feet (6,190 m); South Dakota's is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m). Denali is 13,110 feet higher than Black Elk Peak.
Lowest point: United States's lowest point is Death Valley at -279 feet; South Dakota's is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet. United States's lowest point is 1,245 feet lower.
United States vs South Dakota Population and History
Population: United States has a population of 340,110,988 (2024), while South Dakota has 924,669 (2024). United States' population is 367.8 times larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: United States: 96.3 people per square mile vs South Dakota: 12.2. United States' population density is 7.9 times (689%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: United States's biggest city is New York with 8,478,072 people; South Dakota's is Sioux Falls with 209,289. New York's population is 40.5 times larger than Sioux Falls'.
Largest metro area: United States's largest metropolitan area is New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area (19,940,274 people) vs South Dakota's Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266). New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area's population is 64.7 times larger than Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's.
History: United States: Declared independence on July 4, 1776. South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. In its current form, United States is the older of the two by 113 years.
United States vs South Dakota Economy
GDP: United States's GDP is $30,769.7 billion (2025) vs South Dakota's $76.8 billion. United States' economic output is 400.6 times larger than South Dakota's.
GDP per capita: United States: $89,599 per person vs South Dakota: $83,052. United States' GDP per capita is 1.1 times (8%) higher than South Dakota's.
Official Websites
United States official website · South Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All United States 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.