The map above shows Louisiana and South Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Louisiana vs South Dakota Geography
Land area: Louisiana has a land area of 43,213 square miles (111,921 km²), while South Dakota has 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²). South Dakota's land area is 1.8 times (75%) larger than Louisiana's.
Total area: Louisiana: 52,375 square miles (135,652 km²) vs South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²), including inland and coastal water. South Dakota's total area is 1.5 times (47%) larger than Louisiana's.
Length: Louisiana is 301 miles (484 km) long from north to south; South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km). South Dakota's north-south length is 1.5 times (47%) longer than Louisiana's.
Width: Louisiana spans 356 miles (574 km) east to west; South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km). Louisiana and South Dakota have about the same east-west width.
Highest point: Louisiana's highest point is Driskill Mountain at 533 feet (162 m); South Dakota's is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m). Black Elk Peak is 6,665 feet higher than Driskill Mountain.
Lowest point: Louisiana's lowest point is New Orleans at -8 feet; South Dakota's is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet. Louisiana's lowest point is 974 feet lower.
Louisiana vs South Dakota Population and History
Population: Louisiana has a population of 4,597,740 (2024), while South Dakota has 924,669 (2024). Louisiana's population is 5.0 times (397%) larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: Louisiana: 106.4 people per square mile vs South Dakota: 12.2. Louisiana's population density is 8.7 times (772%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: Louisiana's biggest city is New Orleans with 362,701 people; South Dakota's is Sioux Falls with 209,289. New Orleans' population is 1.7 times (73%) larger than Sioux Falls'.
Largest metro area: Louisiana's largest metropolitan area is New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area (966,230 people) vs South Dakota's Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266). New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area's population is 3.1 times (213%) larger than Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's.
History: Louisiana: Admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812, as the 18th state. South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. In its current form, Louisiana is the older of the two by 77 years.
Louisiana vs South Dakota Economy
GDP: Louisiana's GDP is $329.2 billion (2024) vs South Dakota's $76.8 billion. Louisiana's economic output is 4.3 times (329%) larger than South Dakota's.
GDP per capita: Louisiana: $71,594 per person vs South Dakota: $83,052. South Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (16%) higher than Louisiana's.
Average income: Louisiana: $61,897 vs South Dakota: $75,699 average income per person (per capita personal income). South Dakota's average income is 1.2 times (22%) higher than Louisiana's.
Louisiana vs South Dakota Counties
Number of counties: Louisiana has 64 counties, while South Dakota has 66. Louisiana and South Dakota have about the same county count.
Biggest county by area: Louisiana's largest county is Vernon Parish at 1,327 square miles; South Dakota's is Meade County at 3,471 square miles. Meade County's land area is 2.6 times (162%) larger than Vernon Parish's.
Smallest county by area: Louisiana: Orleans Parish (170 sq mi) vs South Dakota: Clay County (412 sq mi). Clay County's land area is 2.4 times (143%) larger than Orleans Parish's.
Most populous county: Louisiana: East Baton Rouge Parish (453,022 people) vs South Dakota: Minnehaha County (208,639 people). East Baton Rouge Parish's population is 2.2 times (117%) larger than Minnehaha County's.
Least populous county: Louisiana: Tensas Parish (3,844 people) vs South Dakota: Jones County (874 people). Tensas Parish's population is 4.4 times (340%) larger than Jones County's.
Richest county: Louisiana: St. Tammany Parish ($82,398 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Union County ($146,712). Union County's income is 1.8 times (78%) richer than St. Tammany Parish's.
Poorest county: Louisiana: East Carroll Parish ($36,751 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Ziebach County ($32,778). East Carroll Parish's income is 1.1 times (12%) richer than Ziebach County's.
Louisiana vs South Dakota Taxes
State income tax: Louisiana has a top income tax rate of 3%, while South Dakota has no state income tax. Louisiana's top rate is 3 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Louisiana: 0.53% effective rate vs South Dakota: 1.02% of home value per year. South Dakota's rate is 0.49 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Louisiana: 10.13% combined state and average local rate vs South Dakota: 6.11%. Louisiana's combined rate is 4.02 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Louisiana official website · South Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Louisiana 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.