The map above shows Arkansas and South Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Arkansas vs South Dakota Geography
Land area: Arkansas has a land area of 51,992 square miles (134,658 km²), while South Dakota has 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²). South Dakota's land area is 1.5 times (46%) larger than Arkansas'.
Total area: Arkansas: 53,198 square miles (137,781 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 (45%) larger than Arkansas'.
Length: Arkansas is 243 miles (392 km) long from north to south; South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km). South Dakota's north-south length is 1.8 times (82%) longer than Arkansas'.
Width: Arkansas spans 279 miles (449 km) east to west; South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km). South Dakota's east-west width is 1.3 times (33%) wider than Arkansas'.
Highest point: Arkansas's highest point is Mount Magazine at 2,752 feet (839 m); South Dakota's is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m). Black Elk Peak is 4,446 feet higher than Mount Magazine.
Lowest point: Arkansas's lowest point is Ouachita River at 55 feet; South Dakota's is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet. Arkansas's lowest point is 911 feet lower.
Arkansas vs South Dakota Population and History
Population: Arkansas has a population of 3,088,354 (2024), while South Dakota has 924,669 (2024). Arkansas' population is 3.3 times (234%) larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: Arkansas: 59.4 people per square mile vs South Dakota: 12.2. Arkansas' population density is 4.9 times (387%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: Arkansas's biggest city is Little Rock with 204,774 people; South Dakota's is Sioux Falls with 209,289. Little Rock and Sioux Falls have about the same population.
Largest metro area: Arkansas'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: Arkansas: Admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836, as the 25th state. South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. In its current form, Arkansas is the older of the two by 53 years.
Arkansas vs South Dakota Economy
GDP: Arkansas's GDP is $188.3 billion (2024) vs South Dakota's $76.8 billion. Arkansas' economic output is 2.5 times (145%) larger than South Dakota's.
GDP per capita: Arkansas: $60,984 per person vs South Dakota: $83,052. South Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.4 times (36%) higher than Arkansas'.
Average income: Arkansas: $59,320 vs South Dakota: $75,699 average income per person (per capita personal income). South Dakota's average income is 1.3 times (28%) higher than Arkansas'.
Arkansas vs South Dakota Counties
Number of counties: Arkansas has 75 counties, while South Dakota has 66. Arkansas' county count is 1.1 times (14%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest county by area: Arkansas's largest county is Union County at 1,039 square miles; South Dakota's is Meade County at 3,471 square miles. Meade County's land area is 3.3 times (234%) larger than Union County's.
Smallest county by area: Arkansas: Lafayette County (530 sq mi) vs South Dakota: Clay County (412 sq mi). Lafayette County's land area is 1.3 times (29%) larger than Clay County's.
Most populous county: Arkansas: Pulaski County (401,209 people) vs South Dakota: Minnehaha County (208,639 people). Pulaski County's population is 1.9 times (92%) larger than Minnehaha County's.
Least populous county: Arkansas: Calhoun County (4,690 people) vs South Dakota: Jones County (874 people). Calhoun County's population is 5.4 times (437%) larger than Jones County's.
Richest county: Arkansas: Benton County ($120,594 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Union County ($146,712). Union County's income is 1.2 times (22%) richer than Benton County's.
Poorest county: Arkansas: Lincoln County ($36,032 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Ziebach County ($32,778). Lincoln County's income is 1.1 times (10%) richer than Ziebach County's.
Arkansas vs South Dakota Taxes
State income tax: Arkansas has a top income tax rate of 3.9%, while South Dakota has no state income tax. Arkansas's top rate is 3.9 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Arkansas: 0.52% effective rate vs South Dakota: 1.02% of home value per year. South Dakota's rate is 0.5 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Arkansas: 9.48% combined state and average local rate vs South Dakota: 6.11%. Arkansas's combined rate is 3.37 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Arkansas official website · South Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Arkansas 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.