The map above shows Rhode Island and South Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Rhode Island vs South Dakota Geography
Land area: Rhode Island has a land area of 1,034 square miles (2,678 km²), while South Dakota has 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²). South Dakota's land area is 73.3 times larger than Rhode Island's.
Total area: Rhode Island: 1,545 square miles (4,002 km²) vs South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²), including inland and coastal water. South Dakota's total area is 49.9 times larger than Rhode Island's.
Length: Rhode Island is 61 miles (98 km) long from north to south; South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km). South Dakota's north-south length is 7.3 times (626%) longer than Rhode Island's.
Width: Rhode Island spans 42 miles (67 km) east to west; South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km). South Dakota's east-west width is 8.8 times (783%) wider than Rhode Island's.
Highest point: Rhode Island's highest point is Jerimoth Hill at 811 feet (247 m); South Dakota's is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m). Black Elk Peak is 6,387 feet higher than Jerimoth Hill.
Lowest point: Rhode Island's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; South Dakota's is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet. Rhode Island's lowest point is 966 feet lower.
Rhode Island vs South Dakota Population and History
Population: Rhode Island has a population of 1,112,308 (2024), while South Dakota has 924,669 (2024). Rhode Island's population is 1.2 times (20%) larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: Rhode Island: 1,075.8 people per square mile vs South Dakota: 12.2. Rhode Island's population density is 88.2 times higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: Rhode Island's biggest city is Providence with 194,706 people; South Dakota's is Sioux Falls with 209,289. Sioux Falls' population is 1.1 times (7%) larger than Providence's.
Largest metro area: Rhode Island's largest metropolitan area is Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area (1,700,901 people) vs South Dakota's Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266). Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area's population is 5.5 times (452%) larger than Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's.
History: Rhode Island: Admitted to the Union on May 29, 1790, as the 13th state. South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. In its current form, Rhode Island is the older of the two by 99 years.
Rhode Island vs South Dakota Economy
GDP: Rhode Island's GDP is $80.4 billion (2024) vs South Dakota's $76.8 billion. Rhode Island and South Dakota have about the same economic output.
GDP per capita: Rhode Island: $72,265 per person vs South Dakota: $83,052. South Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (15%) higher than Rhode Island's.
Average income: Rhode Island: $70,622 vs South Dakota: $75,699 average income per person (per capita personal income). South Dakota's average income is 1.1 times (7%) higher than Rhode Island's.
Rhode Island vs South Dakota Counties
Number of counties: Rhode Island has 5 counties, while South Dakota has 66. South Dakota's county count is 13.2 times higher than Rhode Island's.
Biggest county by area: Rhode Island's largest county is Providence County at 410 square miles; South Dakota's is Meade County at 3,471 square miles. Meade County's land area is 8.5 times (748%) larger than Providence County's.
Smallest county by area: Rhode Island: Bristol County (24 sq mi) vs South Dakota: Clay County (412 sq mi). Clay County's land area is 17.1 times larger than Bristol County's.
Most populous county: Rhode Island: Providence County (675,912 people) vs South Dakota: Minnehaha County (208,639 people). Providence County's population is 3.2 times (224%) larger than Minnehaha County's.
Least populous county: Rhode Island: Bristol County (50,145 people) vs South Dakota: Jones County (874 people). Bristol County's population is 57.4 times larger than Jones County's.
Richest county: Rhode Island: Bristol County ($99,923 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Union County ($146,712). Union County's income is 1.5 times (47%) richer than Bristol County's.
Poorest county: Rhode Island: Providence County ($61,040 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Ziebach County ($32,778). Providence County's income is 1.9 times (86%) richer than Ziebach County's.
Rhode Island vs South Dakota Taxes
State income tax: Rhode Island has a top income tax rate of 5.99%, while South Dakota has no state income tax. Rhode Island's top rate is 5.99 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Rhode Island: 1.07% effective rate vs South Dakota: 1.02% of home value per year. Rhode Island's rate is 0.05 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Rhode Island: 7% combined state and average local rate vs South Dakota: 6.11%. Rhode Island's combined rate is 0.89 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Rhode Island official website · South Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Rhode Island 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.