The map above shows North Dakota and South Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
North Dakota vs South Dakota Geography
Land area
- North Dakota has a land area of 68,994 square miles (178,694 km²), while South Dakota has 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²).
- South Dakota's land area is 1.1 times (10%) larger than North Dakota's.
Total area
- North Dakota: 70,699 square miles (183,109 km²) vs South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²), including inland and coastal water.
- South Dakota's total area is 1.1 times (9%) larger than North Dakota's.
Length
- North Dakota is 338 miles (544 km) long from north to south; South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km).
- South Dakota's north-south length is 1.3 times (31%) longer than North Dakota's.
Width
- North Dakota spans 408 miles (657 km) east to west; South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km).
- North Dakota's east-west width is 1.1 times (10%) wider than South Dakota's.
Highest point
- North Dakota's highest point is White Butte at 3,500 feet (1,067 m); South Dakota's is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m).
- Black Elk Peak is 3,698 feet higher than White Butte.
Lowest point
- North Dakota's lowest point is Red River of the North at 754 feet; South Dakota's is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet.
- North Dakota's lowest point is 212 feet lower.
North Dakota vs South Dakota Population and History
Population
- North Dakota has a population of 796,568 (2024), while South Dakota has 924,669 (2024).
- South Dakota's population is 1.2 times (16%) larger than North Dakota's.
Population density
- North Dakota: 11.5 people per square mile vs South Dakota: 12.2.
- South Dakota's population density is 1.1 times (6%) higher than North Dakota's.
Biggest city
- North Dakota's biggest city is Fargo with 136,285 people; South Dakota's is Sioux Falls with 209,289.
- Sioux Falls' population is 1.5 times (54%) larger than Fargo's.
Largest metro area
- North Dakota's largest metropolitan area is Fargo, ND-MN metro area (267,793 people) vs South Dakota's Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266).
- Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's population is 1.2 times (15%) larger than Fargo, ND-MN metro area's.
History
- North Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 39th state.
- South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state.
North Dakota vs South Dakota Economy
GDP
- North Dakota's GDP is $80.1 billion (2024) vs South Dakota's $76.8 billion.
- North Dakota and South Dakota have about the same economic output.
GDP per capita
- North Dakota: $100,504 per person vs South Dakota: $83,052.
- North Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (21%) higher than South Dakota's.
Average income
- North Dakota: $71,749 vs South Dakota: $75,699 average income per person (per capita personal income).
- South Dakota's average income is 1.1 times (6%) higher than North Dakota's.
North Dakota vs South Dakota Counties
Number of counties
- North Dakota has 53 counties, while South Dakota has 66.
- South Dakota's county count is 1.2 times (25%) higher than North Dakota's.
Biggest county by area
- North Dakota's largest county is McKenzie County at 2,760 square miles; South Dakota's is Meade County at 3,471 square miles.
- Meade County's land area is 1.3 times (26%) larger than McKenzie County's.
Smallest county by area
- North Dakota: Eddy County (630 sq mi) vs South Dakota: Clay County (412 sq mi).
- Eddy County's land area is 1.5 times (53%) larger than Clay County's.
Most populous county
- North Dakota: Cass County (200,945 people) vs South Dakota: Minnehaha County (208,639 people).
- Cass County and Minnehaha County have about the same population.
Least populous county
- North Dakota: Slope County (660 people) vs South Dakota: Jones County (874 people).
- Jones County's population is 1.3 times (32%) larger than Slope County's.
Richest county
- North Dakota: Dunn County ($99,793 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Union County ($146,712).
- Union County's income is 1.5 times (47%) richer than Dunn County's.
Poorest county
- North Dakota: Sioux County ($33,782 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Ziebach County ($32,778).
- Sioux County and Ziebach County have about the same income.
North Dakota vs South Dakota Taxes
State income tax
- North Dakota has a top income tax rate of 2.5%, while South Dakota has no state income tax.
- North Dakota's top rate is 2.5 percentage points higher.
Property tax
- North Dakota: 0.96% effective rate vs South Dakota: 1.02% of home value per year.
- South Dakota's rate is 0.06 percentage points higher.
Sales tax
- North Dakota: 7.09% combined state and average local rate vs South Dakota: 6.11%.
- North Dakota's combined rate is 0.98 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
North Dakota official website · South Dakota official website
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More Size Comparisons
All North Dakota 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.