Have you ever wondered which U.S. states resemble countries more closely than others? The Country – US State Comparisons are designed to quantify just that — measuring how similar each U.S. state is to different countries around the world relative to the United States. This index provides a data-driven way to make those comparisons. It equally weights five major factors: demographics, culture, politics, technology, and geography. Over 1,000 different data points are used to generate the results.
Top 10 Countries More Similar to South Dakota than the US
South Dakota is more rural, agricultural, and socially conservative than the United States overall. People in South Dakota tend to start families earlier and have more children. The state is landlocked and sparsely populated, like all five countries on this list.
- Moldova has a lot in common with South Dakota. They have a similar continental climate and the vast majority of their terrain is flat and for used for agriculture. Both have banned smoking in public places, but also decriminalized marijuana. Furthermore, most of their people have European ancestry.
- Niger is a West African country. It is a nation with a largely rural population and many of their people work in agriculture. Both governments have passed conservative laws. However, one big difference is that Niger has a much drier climate than South Dakota.
- Mali is another landlocked West African country on this list. Like South Dakota, its economy relies heavily on agriculture and livestock, with much of the land devoted to grazing. Religion is also deeply woven into daily life, shaping social norms and values in both regions.
- Central African Republic and South Dakota have a low population density. Another trait that their people share is a similar rate of circumcision. In addition, religion is central to community identity, influencing family values and cultural norms. They have a high rate of suicide as well.
- Tajikistan and South Dakota tend to be socially conservative. Both have a low population density, with small towns spread across vast stretches of land. However, Tajikistan is less industrialized and faces greater economic hardship, while South Dakota’s economy benefits from better infrastructure and access to modern technology.
- Togo, 7. Burkina Faso, 8. Kyrgyzstan, 9. Chad, 10. Afghanistan
Top 10 Countries Less Similar to South Dakota than the US
South Dakota is rural and landlocked, so the countries least like it tend to have a lot of coastline and are more urbanized. However, the five least similar are spread across four different continents.
- Chile contrasts with South Dakota in many ways. It is a long, coastal nation with diverse geography, including deserts, mountains, and ocean coastline. Chile is also more urbanized and less socially conservative than South Dakota.
- Canada is quite different from South Dakota, since its population is far more urbanized, with most Canadians living in large cities near the coasts. Canada’s culture is also more progressive and diverse, reflecting significant immigration and multicultural influences.
- Australia differs significantly from South Dakota. It is a massive island continent with a hot, dry climate in much of its territory, and coastal cities dominate its population. The country is much more socially liberal compared to South Dakota.
- Malaysia is far different from South Dakota in both geography and culture. It is a tropical, nation made up of two main landmasses and hundreds of islands. Malaysia is ethnically and religiously diverse, with Islam as the majority faith. Its cities are dense and modern, and its economy relies heavily on manufacturing and trade rather than agriculture.
- Japan is is densely populated, heavily urbanized, and surrounded by the ocean. The country has an advanced industrial economy and a very different cultural and social structure. Family life, climate, and geography diverge sharply from South Dakota’s.
- Spain, 7. New Zealand, 8. Italy, 9. Mexico, 10. Singapore
Full Ranking of Countries and Territories More Similar to South Dakota than the US
All data accurate as of 2025.