The map above shows South Dakota and Utah side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
South Dakota vs Utah Geography
Land area: South Dakota has a land area of 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²), while Utah has 82,596 square miles (213,922 km²). Utah's land area is 1.1 times (9%) larger than South Dakota's.
Total area: South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²) vs Utah: 84,898 square miles (219,885 km²), including inland and coastal water. Utah's total area is 1.1 times (10%) larger than South Dakota's.
Length: South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km) long from north to south; Utah is 436 miles (702 km). South Dakota and Utah have about the same north-south length.
Width: South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km) east to west; Utah spans 268 miles (431 km). South Dakota's east-west width is 1.4 times (38%) wider than Utah's.
Highest point: South Dakota's highest point is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m); Utah's is Kings Peak at 13,512 feet (4,118 m). Kings Peak is 6,314 feet higher than Black Elk Peak.
Lowest point: South Dakota's lowest point is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet; Utah's is Beaver Dam Wash at 2,180 feet. South Dakota's lowest point is 1,214 feet lower.
South Dakota vs Utah Population and History
Population: South Dakota has a population of 924,669 (2024), while Utah has 3,503,613 (2024). Utah's population is 3.8 times (279%) larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: South Dakota: 12.2 people per square mile vs Utah: 42.4. Utah's population density is 3.5 times (248%) higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: South Dakota's biggest city is Sioux Falls with 209,289 people; Utah's is Salt Lake City with 217,783. Sioux Falls and Salt Lake City have about the same population.
Largest metro area: South Dakota's largest metropolitan area is Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266 people) vs Utah's Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metro area (1,300,762). Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metro area's population is 4.2 times (322%) larger than Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's.
History: South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. Utah: Admitted to the Union on January 4, 1896, as the 45th state. In its current form, South Dakota is the older of the two by 7 years.
South Dakota vs Utah Economy
GDP: South Dakota's GDP is $76.8 billion (2024) vs Utah's $299.5 billion. Utah's economic output is 3.9 times (290%) larger than South Dakota's.
GDP per capita: South Dakota: $83,052 per person vs Utah: $85,475. South Dakota and Utah have about the same GDP per capita.
Average income: South Dakota: $75,699 vs Utah: $67,333 average income per person (per capita personal income). South Dakota's average income is 1.1 times (12%) higher than Utah's.
South Dakota vs Utah Counties
Number of counties: South Dakota has 66 counties, while Utah has 29. South Dakota's county count is 2.3 times (128%) higher than Utah's.
Biggest county by area: South Dakota's largest county is Meade County at 3,471 square miles; Utah's is San Juan County at 7,824 square miles. San Juan County's land area is 2.3 times (125%) larger than Meade County's.
Smallest county by area: South Dakota: Clay County (412 sq mi) vs Utah: Davis County (325 sq mi). Clay County's land area is 1.3 times (27%) larger than Davis County's.
Most populous county: South Dakota: Minnehaha County (208,639 people) vs Utah: Salt Lake County (1,216,274 people). Salt Lake County's population is 5.8 times (483%) larger than Minnehaha County's.
Least populous county: South Dakota: Jones County (874 people) vs Utah: Daggett County (956 people). Daggett County's population is 1.1 times (9%) larger than Jones County's.
Richest county: South Dakota: Union County ($146,712 per capita income) vs Utah: Summit County ($280,510). Summit County's income is 1.9 times (91%) richer than Union County's.
Poorest county: South Dakota: Ziebach County ($32,778 per capita income) vs Utah: Beaver County ($39,179). Beaver County's income is 1.2 times (20%) richer than Ziebach County's.
South Dakota vs Utah Taxes
State income tax: South Dakota has no state income tax, while Utah has a top income tax rate of 4.5%. Utah's top rate is 4.5 percentage points higher.
Property tax: South Dakota: 1.02% effective rate vs Utah: 0.49% of home value per year. South Dakota's rate is 0.53 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: South Dakota: 6.11% combined state and average local rate vs Utah: 7.42%. Utah's combined rate is 1.31 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
South Dakota official website · Utah official website
More Size Comparisons
All South Dakota size comparisons · All Utah 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.