The map above shows Kansas and South Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Kansas vs South Dakota Geography
Land area: Kansas has a land area of 81,759 square miles (211,754 km²), while South Dakota has 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²). Kansas' land area is 1.1 times (8%) larger than South Dakota's.
Total area: Kansas: 82,278 square miles (213,100 km²) vs South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²), including inland and coastal water. Kansas' total area is 1.1 times (7%) larger than South Dakota's.
Length: Kansas is 207 miles (334 km) long from north to south; South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km). South Dakota's north-south length is 2.1 times (114%) longer than Kansas'.
Width: Kansas spans 401 miles (645 km) east to west; South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km). Kansas' east-west width is 1.1 times (8%) wider than South Dakota's.
Highest point: Kansas's highest point is Mount Sunflower at 4,040 feet (1,231 m); South Dakota's is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m). Black Elk Peak is 3,158 feet higher than Mount Sunflower.
Lowest point: Kansas's lowest point is Verdigris River at 679 feet; South Dakota's is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet. Kansas's lowest point is 287 feet lower.
Kansas vs South Dakota Population and History
Population: Kansas has a population of 2,970,606 (2024), while South Dakota has 924,669 (2024). Kansas' population is 3.2 times (221%) larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: Kansas: 36.3 people per square mile vs South Dakota: 12.2. Kansas' population density is 3.0 times (198%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: Kansas's biggest city is Wichita with 400,991 people; South Dakota's is Sioux Falls with 209,289. Wichita's population is 1.9 times (92%) larger than Sioux Falls'.
Largest metro area: Kansas's largest metropolitan area is Kansas City, MO-KS metro area (2,253,579 people) vs South Dakota's Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266). Kansas City, MO-KS metro area's population is 7.3 times (631%) larger than Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's.
History: Kansas: Admitted to the Union on January 29, 1861, as the 34th state. South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. In its current form, Kansas is the older of the two by 28 years.
Kansas vs South Dakota Economy
GDP: Kansas's GDP is $230.5 billion (2024) vs South Dakota's $76.8 billion. Kansas' economic output is 3.0 times (200%) larger than South Dakota's.
GDP per capita: Kansas: $77,601 per person vs South Dakota: $83,052. South Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (7%) higher than Kansas'.
Average income: Kansas: $65,856 vs South Dakota: $75,699 average income per person (per capita personal income). South Dakota's average income is 1.1 times (15%) higher than Kansas'.
Kansas vs South Dakota Counties
Number of counties: Kansas has 105 counties, while South Dakota has 66. Kansas' county count is 1.6 times (59%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest county by area: Kansas's largest county is Butler County at 1,430 square miles; South Dakota's is Meade County at 3,471 square miles. Meade County's land area is 2.4 times (143%) larger than Butler County's.
Smallest county by area: Kansas: Wyandotte County (152 sq mi) vs South Dakota: Clay County (412 sq mi). Clay County's land area is 2.7 times (172%) larger than Wyandotte County's.
Most populous county: Kansas: Johnson County (632,276 people) vs South Dakota: Minnehaha County (208,639 people). Johnson County's population is 3.0 times (203%) larger than Minnehaha County's.
Least populous county: Kansas: Greeley County (1,152 people) vs South Dakota: Jones County (874 people). Greeley County's population is 1.3 times (32%) larger than Jones County's.
Richest county: Kansas: Greeley County ($134,780 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Union County ($146,712). Union County's income is 1.1 times (9%) richer than Greeley County's.
Poorest county: Kansas: Wyandotte County ($42,878 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Ziebach County ($32,778). Wyandotte County's income is 1.3 times (31%) richer than Ziebach County's.
Kansas vs South Dakota Taxes
State income tax: Kansas has a top income tax rate of 5.58%, while South Dakota has no state income tax. Kansas's top rate is 5.58 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Kansas: 1.25% effective rate vs South Dakota: 1.02% of home value per year. Kansas's rate is 0.23 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Kansas: 8.71% combined state and average local rate vs South Dakota: 6.11%. Kansas's combined rate is 2.6 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Kansas official website · South Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Kansas 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.