Is South Dakota a good state for your salary to go far?

South Dakota ranks #6 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 105.1 across 359 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 88.6 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in South Dakota?

South Dakota's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 88.6, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / South Dakota

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in South Dakota

South Dakota ranks #6 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 105.1, base = 100). Cost of living 88.6 (US = 100); no state income tax.

Does a salary go further in South Dakota? (cost of living + state tax)

In South Dakota, the cost of living is 88.6 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 105.1 across 359 occupations, ranking it #6 of 51 states for how far pay goes after 2025 state income tax and 2024 BEA cost of living. Real BLS OEWS; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

South Dakota ranks #6 of 51 states. Mean across 359 occupations; 100 = the average state, 105.1 means pay goes 5.1% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

105.1

Real pay by occupation in South Dakota (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists	$49,800	$56,217	154.4
Personal Financial Advisors	$128,720	$145,305	148.6
Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other	$53,790	$60,721	147.3
General and Operations Managers	$137,400	$155,104	145.1
Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door	$98,090	$110,729	143.9
First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers	$105,680	$119,297	142.7
Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers	$59,700	$67,392	138.5
Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other	$63,010	$71,129	138.4
Computer Network Architects	$153,390	$173,154	138.3
Crossing Guards and Flaggers	$46,940	$52,988	137.7
Manicurists and Pedicurists	$45,310	$51,148	137.2
Recreation Workers	$42,270	$47,716	136.1
Pediatricians, General	$257,610	$290,802	135.5
Curators	$74,990	$84,652	135.4
Driver/Sales Workers	$45,050	$50,855	135.2
Education Administrators, Postsecondary	$126,160	$142,415	134.6
Social Workers, All Other	$93,760	$105,841	133.5
Education Administrators, All Other	$108,990	$123,033	131.4
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse	$42,260	$47,705	130.9
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers	$56,680	$63,983	128.9
Insurance Sales Agents	$71,990	$81,266	128.4
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary	$72,940	$82,338	128.1
Medical Equipment Repairers	$69,530	$78,489	127.7
Medical Transcriptionists	$46,070	$52,006	127.6
Pest Control Workers	$49,920	$56,352	127.4
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products	$77,210	$87,158	126.8
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers	$44,290	$49,997	126.3
Self-Enrichment Teachers	$49,720	$56,126	126.1
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education	$44,500	$50,234	126.0
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare	$63,240	$71,388	124.5
Parts Salespersons	$45,370	$51,216	124.3
Social and Community Service Managers	$86,870	$98,063	123.3
Financial Specialists, All Other	$86,260	$97,374	121.7
Home Health and Personal Care Aides	$37,740	$42,603	121.6
Financial Managers	$159,700	$180,277	121.2
Information and Record Clerks, All Other	$53,290	$60,156	120.4
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval	$102,500	$115,707	119.8
Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators	$61,570	$69,503	119.1
Conservation Scientists	$76,400	$86,244	119.1
Loan Officers	$79,920	$90,217	118.7

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 359 BLS publishes for South Dakota. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (88.6, US = 100).

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In South Dakota, a $85,000 salary is worth about $95,952 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $85,000 · BEA cost of living 88.6 (US = 100).

That makes South Dakota the state where this salary goes furthest.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$95,952	88.6
2	Arkansas	$93,959	86.9
3	Louisiana	$93,473	88.2
4	Mississippi	$93,453	87.0
5	Iowa	$93,172	87.8
6	North Dakota	$93,161	89.0
7	Tennessee	$92,522	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$92,167	87.8
9	Wyoming	$91,703	92.7
10	Alabama	$90,911	88.8
11	Kentucky	$90,507	90.2
12	West Virginia	$90,397	89.5

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Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

South Dakota real pay — FAQ

Is South Dakota a good state for your salary to go far?: South Dakota ranks #6 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 105.1 across 359 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 88.6 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in South Dakota?: South Dakota's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 88.6, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for South Dakota is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.