Moving from Nebraska to South Dakota
Moving to South Dakota on the same salary raises your real buying power by 6.1%. Change the salary below to see your own numbers.
Equal salary in SD: $70,000
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $70,000 in South Dakota to match $75,000 in Nebraska ($5,000 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary, standard deduction.
These changes cover taxes, housing and electricity. Food, transport, healthcare, other spending and one-time moving costs are excluded. They are not total savings. State medians may differ from your neighborhood and current quotes.
| Tax on $75,000 | Nebraska | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $7,670 | $7,670 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $5,738 | $5,738 |
| State income tax | $2,533 | $0 |
| State payroll programs (UI, disability, paid leave, transit) | $0 | $0 |
| Take-home pay | $59,060 | $61,593 |
Key facts: Nebraska to South Dakota
- Median rent
- $1,102 → $999/mo
- Median home value
- $263,100 → $289,600
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 90.1 → 88.6
- Road distance
- ≈ 250 miles
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Above average → About average
What changes when you move to South Dakota
- South Dakota has no state income tax on wages. At $75,000 you'd stop paying about $2,533 a year in Nebraska income tax.
- Keeping a remote job with a Nebraska employer? Nebraska can still tax those wages under its convenience-of-the-employer rule if you work in Nebraska on more than seven days in the year, unless your employer requires you to work elsewhere. See taxes the year you move.
- BEA's housing price index is 10% lower in South Dakota. Median rent goes from $1,102 to $999 a month and the median home value from $263,100 to $289,600.
- Homeowners pay less property tax: the median bill is $2,940 in South Dakota vs $3,739 in Nebraska.
- The average home electric bill is $128 a month in South Dakota vs $110 in Nebraska (EIA 2024), about $210 a year more.
Who moves from Nebraska to South Dakota
In the latest IRS migration data (2022–2023), 970 households (1,557 people) filed their taxes in South Dakota after filing in Nebraska the year before. That makes South Dakota the #9 destination for people leaving Nebraska. These households reported an average adjusted gross income of $59,886. Going the other way, 907 households moved from South Dakota to Nebraska, a net gain of 63 households for South Dakota.
Five-year trend
Moves from Nebraska to South Dakota peaked in 2020–21 at 996 households, then held roughly steady by 2022–23. That is still up 4% from 2018–19.
Source: IRS SOI state-to-state migration files, tax years 2018–19 to 2022–23.
Cost to move from Nebraska to South Dakota
Moving cost: $330–$5,180
Moving about 250 miles from Nebraska to South Dakota costs roughly $330 – $5,180, 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. | $330 – $750 |
| Moving container You pack and load; the company drives the container. | $1,120 – $2,140 |
| Full-service movers Packing, loading, transport and unloading. | $1,870 – $5,180 |
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 25 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 Nebraska to South Dakota
Car shipping: $600–$910
Shipping a sedan from Nebraska to South Dakota on an open carrier costs about $600–$910, typically 1–4 days in transit over about 250 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 Hawaii and Alaska rates. SUVs cost about 25% more and enclosed carriers about 35% more. Not a quote.
Nebraska vs South Dakota take-home pay at every salary
| Salary | Equal salary in SD | Take-home change | Take-home in NE | Take-home in SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $47,400 | +$1,395 | $40,960 | $42,355 |
| $75,000 | $70,000 | +$2,533 | $59,060 | $61,593 |
| $100,000 | $93,000 | +$3,670 | $75,510 | $79,180 |
| $150,000 | $138,700 | +$5,945 | $107,846 | $113,791 |
| $250,000 | $229,600 | +$10,495 | $172,687 | $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 Nebraska, which narrows the gap shown.
Cost of living: Nebraska vs South Dakota
| Measure | Nebraska | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 90.1 | 88.6 |
| Housing price index | 75.2 | 67.6 |
| Utilities price index | 75.6 | 79.7 |
| Goods price index | 94.1 | 95.5 |
| Median rent (monthly) | $1,102 | $999 |
| Median home value | $263,100 | $289,600 |
| Median property tax (yearly) | $3,739 | $2,940 |
| Electricity (residential) | 13.25¢/kWh | 15.36¢/kWh |
| State sales tax rate | 5.5% | 4.2% |
| Median household income | $76,376 | $76,881 |
Renting and buying: Nebraska vs South Dakota
| Measure | Nebraska | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Income to rent the median home (30% rule) | $44,080 | $39,960 |
| Monthly cost to own the median home (20% down) | $1,884 | $1,924 |
| Income needed to buy the median home | $80,722 | $82,476 |
| Homeowners insurance (yearly median, homes with a mortgage) | $2,144 | $1,750 |
| Infant child care (center, yearly) | $18,147 | $8,632 |
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: Nebraska vs South Dakota
On a $75,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $42,078 a year in Nebraska and $37,801 in South Dakota if you rent: $4,277 less after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $51,456 and $48,906 ($2,550 less).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | NE | SD | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $75,000, single filer | $15,940 | $13,408 | -$2,532 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,323 | $1,534 | +$211 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $981 | $937 | -$44 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,090 | $2,074 | -$16 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $8,520 | $7,860 | -$660 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $13,224 | $11,988 | -$1,236 |
| Total if you rent | $42,078 | $37,801 | -$4,277 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $16,719 | $18,403 | +$1,684 |
| Property tax median home | $3,739 | $2,940 | -$799 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $2,144 | $1,750 | -$394 |
| Total if you buy | $51,456 | $48,906 | -$2,550 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 state medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, 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 September 23, 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 $18,147 a year in Nebraska and $8,632 in South Dakota (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 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 Nebraska and South Dakota.
- How South Dakota taxes retirement income.
- Live in South Dakota but keep working in Nebraska? See who taxes your wages.
Frequently asked questions
How much salary do I need in South Dakota to live like I do in Nebraska?
A $75,000 salary in Nebraska works out to about $70,000 in South Dakota once 2026 federal and state taxes and BEA regional price levels are counted. At $100,000 it is about $93,000.
Will I pay less tax in South Dakota than in Nebraska?
Yes, about $2,533 less a year in income and payroll taxes on a $75,000 salary (21.3% of pay in Nebraska vs 17.9% in South Dakota). Property and sales taxes are shown separately.
How much does it cost to move from Nebraska to South Dakota?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 250 miles, expect roughly $330–$750 with a rental truck, $1,120–$2,140 with a moving container, or $1,870–$5,180 with full-service movers.
Are more people moving from Nebraska to South Dakota?
Moves from Nebraska to South Dakota peaked in 2020–21 at 996 households, then held roughly steady by 2022–23. That is still up 4% from 2018–19.
How many people move from Nebraska to South Dakota?
IRS migration data for 2022–2023 show 970 households (1,557 people) moved from Nebraska to South Dakota, making South Dakota the #9 destination for people leaving Nebraska. 907 households moved the other way.
Is South Dakota cheaper than Nebraska?
Overall prices in South Dakota are 1.7% lower than Nebraska (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $999 vs $1,102 a month.
Compare other moves
Where people from Nebraska actually move
- NE to Iowa 3,172 households
- NE to Texas 2,087 households
- NE to Colorado 1,802 households
- NE to Florida 1,411 households
- NE to Kansas 1,267 households
- NE to Missouri 1,107 households
- NE to California 1,047 households
- NE to Arizona 995 households