Moving from Kentucky to South Dakota
Moving to South Dakota on the same salary raises your real buying power by 6.0%. Change the salary below to see your own numbers.
The salary comparison above is for W-2 earnings. Your retirement income and budget results appear in the calculator below.
State-median gross rent (2024 ACS): $998/month in Kentucky and $999/month in South Dakota. These are state benchmarks, not current rental quotes or your own housing costs. Compare your salary offer, housing and moving-cost recovery using the personal-budget option in the calculator.
Equal salary in SD: $61,200
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $61,200 in South Dakota to match $65,000 in Kentucky ($3,800 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary, standard deduction.
The renter figure uses ACS gross rent, which includes tenant-paid electricity, gas, water/sewer and fuels. The buyer figure adds electricity separately to mortgage, property tax and insurance. Food, transport, healthcare, other spending and one-time moving costs are excluded. These are selected-cost changes, not total savings. State medians may differ from your neighborhood and current quotes.
| Tax on $65,000 | Kentucky | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $5,620 | $5,620 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $4,973 | $4,973 |
| State income tax | $2,157 | $0 |
| State payroll programs (UI, disability, paid leave, transit) | $0 | $0 |
| Take-home pay | $52,250 | $54,408 |
Key facts: Kentucky to South Dakota
- Median rent
- $998 → $999/mo
- Median home value
- $226,000 → $289,600
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 90.2 → 88.6
- Road distance
- ≈ 970 miles
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- High county-score mean → Midrange county-score mean
What changes when you move to South Dakota
- South Dakota has no state income tax on wages. At $65,000 you'd stop paying about $2,157 a year in Kentucky income tax.
- BEA's housing rents price index is 5% higher in South Dakota. Median rent goes from $998 to $999 a month and the median home value from $226,000 to $289,600.
- Homeowners pay more property tax: the median bill is $2,940 in South Dakota vs $1,611 in Kentucky.
- The average home electric bill is $131 a month in South Dakota vs $144 in Kentucky (EIA 2025), about $151 a year less.
Who moves from Kentucky to South Dakota
In the latest IRS migration data (2022–2023), 90 households (149 people) filed their taxes in South Dakota after filing in Kentucky the year before. That makes South Dakota the #44 destination for people leaving Kentucky. These households reported an average adjusted gross income of $84,344. Going the other way, 118 households moved from South Dakota to Kentucky, a net loss of 28 households for South Dakota.
Five-year trend
Moves from Kentucky to South Dakota peaked in 2020–21 at 91 households, then held roughly steady by 2022–23. That is still up 73% from 2018–19.
Source: IRS SOI state-to-state migration files, tax years 2018–19 to 2022–23.
Cost to move from Kentucky to South Dakota
Moving cost: $720–$9,810
Moving about 970 miles from Kentucky to South Dakota costs roughly $720 – $9,810, depending on how much of the work you hire out.
Distance between the states' population centers by road (estimate).
| Moving method | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) Truck rental, taxes and fees. Add fuel, damage coverage, lodging and your time. | $720 – $2,920 |
| Moving container You pack and load; the company drives the container. | $1,540 – $3,740 |
| Full-service movers Loading, transport and unloading. Packing, storage and other extra services may cost more; confirm the written estimate. | $2,510 – $9,810 |
These ranges are based on summer (peak-season) quotes. A move between October and April usually costs less: peak prices run 20–30% higher.
A rental truck also burns about 97 gallons of fuel over this distance. One-way truck rental prices depend on direction: a truck headed where many people are moving often costs more than the same trip in reverse.
Ranges combine 198 published quote ranges on 22 interstate routes (moveBuddha, retrieved 2026-09-24) with 47 independent published prices from U-Pack, HireAHelper and Move.org, which raised the top of several ranges. They are not quotes; get at least three written estimates.
Alaska and Hawaii ranges come from published carrier rates and moving quotes, dated in each row (Matson's household-goods rates, U-Pack, Royal Hawaiian Movers). See how we estimate.
Shipping a car from Kentucky to South Dakota
Car shipping: $870–$1,290
Shipping a sedan from Kentucky to South Dakota on an open carrier costs about $870–$1,290, typically 3–7 days in transit over about 970 miles.
Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published mainland-to-Hawaii and mainland-to-Alaska prices. Reverse ocean routes reuse those inbound prices as a proxy, not a separately sourced price for that direction. The 25% SUV and 35% enclosed-carrier uplifts are model assumptions; ocean carrier packages and vehicle charges can differ. Not a quote.
Kentucky vs South Dakota take-home pay at every salary
| Salary | Equal salary in SD | Take-home change | Take-home in KY | Take-home in SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $47,100 | +$1,632 | $40,723 | $42,355 |
| $75,000 | $69,900 | +$2,507 | $59,085 | $61,593 |
| $100,000 | $93,300 | +$3,382 | $75,798 | $79,180 |
| $150,000 | $139,700 | +$5,132 | $108,659 | $113,791 |
| $250,000 | $232,100 | +$8,632 | $174,550 | $183,182 |
Single filer, 2026 tax rules, standard deduction. "Equal salary" keeps the same after-tax buying power.
At higher incomes, especially for homeowners, itemizing state and local taxes (deductible up to $40,400 in 2026) can lower your federal tax while you live in Kentucky, which narrows the gap shown.
Cost of living: Kentucky vs South Dakota
| Measure | Kentucky | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 90.2 | 88.6 |
| Housing rents price index | 64.3 | 67.6 |
| Utilities price index | 75.3 | 79.7 |
| Goods price index | 96.0 | 95.5 |
| Median rent (monthly) | $998 | $999 |
| Median home value | $226,000 | $289,600 |
| Median property tax (yearly) | $1,611 | $2,940 |
| Electricity (residential) | 14.26¢/kWh | 15.36¢/kWh |
| State sales tax rate | 6% | 4.2% |
| Median household income | $64,526 | $76,881 |
Renting and buying: Kentucky vs South Dakota
| Measure | Kentucky | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Income to rent the median home (30% rule) | $39,920 | $39,960 |
| Monthly cost to own the median home (20% down) | $1,483 | $1,970 |
| Income needed to buy the median home | $63,564 | $84,417 |
| Homeowners insurance (yearly median, homes with a mortgage) | $1,401 | $1,750 |
| Infant child care (center, yearly) | $13,075 | $8,859 |
Mortgage at the Freddie Mac 30-year average with 20% down, plus the median property tax and the median homeowners insurance that owners with a mortgage paid in 2024 (Census ACS). Premiums have risen in most states since then, so get quotes. See buying a home in South Dakota for other down payments.
Your yearly budget: Kentucky vs South Dakota
On a $65,000 salary, taxes, gross rent including basic utilities, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $34,749 a year in Kentucky and $33,396 in South Dakota if you rent: $1,353 less after the move. If you buy the median home, those selected costs use mortgage, property tax, homeowners insurance and electricity instead of gross rent; they come to $42,296 and $46,618 ($4,322 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | KY | SD | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $65,000, single filer | $12,750 | $10,593 | -$2,157 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,046 | $937 | -$109 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $1,897 | $2,018 | +$121 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,080 | $7,860 | +$780 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent and basic utilities ACS median gross rent, 12 months | $11,976 | $11,988 | +$12 |
| Total if you rent | $34,749 | $33,396 | -$1,353 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 7.24% | $14,786 | $18,947 | +$4,161 |
| Property tax median home | $1,611 | $2,940 | +$1,329 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,401 | $1,750 | +$349 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,725 | $1,573 | -$152 |
| Total if you buy | $42,296 | $46,618 | +$4,322 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 state medians. Gross rent includes tenant-paid electricity, gas, water/sewer and fuels; those basic utilities are not added again. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (7.24%, week of October 29, 2026).
State figures: EIA 2025 average residential power bill (buyers only), NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on October 29, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $13,075 a year in Kentucky and $8,859 in South Dakota (Child Care Aware of America, 2025 (2024 fallback for Colorado, Washington, DC and South Carolina) state averages).
Cost of living in South Dakota cities: Sioux Falls.
After you arrive in South Dakota
- South Dakota new resident checklist: driver license and vehicle registration deadlines.
- Taxes the year you move: part-year returns in Kentucky and South Dakota.
- How South Dakota taxes retirement income.
Frequently asked questions
How much salary do I need in South Dakota to live like I do in Kentucky?
A $65,000 salary in Kentucky works out to about $61,200 in South Dakota once 2026 federal and state taxes and BEA regional price levels are counted. At $100,000 it is about $93,300.
Will I pay less tax in South Dakota than in Kentucky?
Yes, about $2,157 less a year in income and payroll taxes on a $65,000 salary (19.6% of pay in Kentucky vs 16.3% in South Dakota). Property and sales taxes are shown separately.
How much does it cost to move from Kentucky to South Dakota?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 970 miles, expect roughly $720–$2,920 with a rental truck, $1,540–$3,740 with a moving container, or $2,510–$9,810 with full-service movers.
Are more people moving from Kentucky to South Dakota?
Moves from Kentucky to South Dakota peaked in 2020–21 at 91 households, then held roughly steady by 2022–23. That is still up 73% from 2018–19.
How many people move from Kentucky to South Dakota?
IRS migration data for 2022–2023 show 90 households (149 people) moved from Kentucky to South Dakota, making South Dakota the #44 destination for people leaving Kentucky. 118 households moved the other way.
Is South Dakota cheaper than Kentucky?
Overall prices in South Dakota are 1.8% lower than Kentucky (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $999 vs $998 a month.
Compare other moves
Where people from Kentucky actually move
- KY to Ohio 6,362 households
- KY to Indiana 5,940 households
- KY to Tennessee 5,634 households
- KY to Florida 4,578 households
- KY to Texas 2,642 households
- KY to Illinois 1,741 households
- KY to Georgia 1,625 households
- KY to North Carolina 1,565 households
State-agency links identify the responsible tax office; they do not verify every modeled rule. Use forms and guidance for the year you are filing.