North Dakota vs South Dakota

The two states, county by county

Both maps share one density scale, so the same shade means the same number of people per square mile on either side of the border. Darker counties are denser. Select a county to open its page.

Side by side

Population and density

South Dakota has 924,669 residents, 16% more than North Dakota's 796,568. North Dakota ranks 47th and South Dakota 46th of the 50 states and DC. Both average about 12 people per square mile.

Land area

South Dakota has 75,808 square miles of land, 10% more than North Dakota's 68,994. The largest county-equivalent in North Dakota is McKenzie County at 2,760 square miles; in South Dakota it is Meade County at 3,471.

Counties

South Dakota is divided into 66 county-equivalents and North Dakota into 53, so an average South Dakota county covers 1,149 square miles against 1,302. The typical county in North Dakota has 3,853 residents, against 5,296 in South Dakota. The most populous are Cass County (200,945) and Minnehaha County (208,639).

1 county name appears on both sides of the border: Grant. Use the FIPS code, not the name, when joining data across the two states.

Household income

The median county in North Dakota has a household income of $72,643, 8% above South Dakota's $67,180. The highest county incomes are McKenzie County ($99,157) in North Dakota and Lincoln County ($102,130) in South Dakota, from SAIPE 2023.

Capitals and daylight

Bismarck and Pierre are 171 miles apart in a straight line; from Bismarck the initial bearing is 173°, S. On June 21, 2026, Bismarck gets 15 h 52 min of daylight and Pierre 15 h 32 min; on December 21 the figures are 8 h 32 min and 8 h 51 min. Month by month tables are on the Bismarck and Pierre daylight pages.

Where they sit

Both are in the Census West North Central division of the Midwest region. By county internal points, North Dakota spans 2 UTM zones and South Dakota 2.