South Dakota lagged on three economic indicators in 2017. According to Mike Maciag’s analysis of Bureau of Economic Analysis data, South Dakota had below average growth in per capita income, net earnings, and property income.
| Growth in… | per capita personal income | net earnings | property income | transfer receipts |
| South Dakota | 0.5% | 0.8% | 2.6% | 2.4% |
| North Dakota | -0.3% | -1.9% | 4.0% | 0.6% |
| Minnesota | 2.0% | 3.2% | 2.8% | 2.4% |
| Iowa | -0.1% | -0.1% | 2.8% | -0.5% |
| Nebraska | 0.8% | 0.7% | 2.6% | 3.2% |
| Wyoming | 2.8% | 0.7% | 3.7% | 2.1% |
| Montana | 1.9% | 2.4% | 3.0% | 4.8% |
| United States | 2.4% | 3.1% | 3.3% | 3.0% |
South Dakota appears to be a great place to do business… unless want to make money. Folks interested in filthy lucre would set up shop in Minnesota, or California, or Washington State, or New York….
South Dakota’s growth in transfer payments—i.e., government assistance—also lagged the national average. Interestingly, national growth in transfer payments in the first annus Trumpus was about the same as in the final annus Obamis… which the conservative Republican in me would read as a sign that the corrupt and incompetent Trump Administration failed to take any substantive steps to rein in government spending and states’ dependence on Uncle Sam.
Is anyone really surprised about this? Again, MN comes out better than SD, in spite of all those notorious taxes that South Dakotans always try to scare us with. Go Figure.
When you’re in a low wage state, the odds are increasingly set against you as you are forever trying to keep up with the cost of living, the rising costs of healthcare, etc. How’s that lie of the low cost of living working out for ya, SD?
Well, Minnesota will be in the same boat as South Dakota next year if they’re stupid enough to elect Tim Pawlenty again, (he finally just formally announced his candidacy today) considering the horrendous damage he did to the Minnesota economy during his previous two terms. It took Dem guv Dayton years to undo the damage and get the state’s economy rolling again, no thanks to bitter Republican obstructionists in the legislature.
Ms. Jenny, we like it just fine here, thanks. Sure glad our poor people don’t have to pay more in taxes, although I wish we did have a lazy tax for those who don’t work hard enough.
Laurisa and Jenny, here’s hoping we have smarter Minnesotans this fall. Personally, I like Erin (dang her last name escapes me. That’s embarrassing!) She was a state senator. Her campaign team is unionized and she’s proud of that. She’s be outstanding as our state’s first woman governor.
This article doesn’t tell us anything. Minnesota has higher incomes, but they also have higher taxes and house payments.
They also have higher time costs.
How much is that two hour commute time worth to you?
Jason, Google can be your friend if you let it. Don’t allow yourself to live in a state of ignorance.
The average commute time is 16.9 minutes per day in SD and 22.9 in Minnesota. This is an extra 25 hours per year in commute time in Minnesota.
https://www.indexmundi.com/facts/united-states/quick-facts/all-states/average-commute-time#map
$32,638 is the average per capita income in Minnesota. $26,959 is the average per capita income in South Dakota. Minnesotans average $5,679 more per capita and more than $10,000 per year by median household income.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_income
So for the extra 25 hours a year that Minnesotans commute to work they are paid $227.16 dollars per hour more than South Dakotans. I don’t know about you, but I think $227.16 per hour would be worth the extra 6 minutes per day in my car.
As far as the higher taxes in Minnesota go, they also have higher levels of funding for education, infrastructure and social programs for the less fortunate. They also spend more money on parks and recreation and the arts.
Here is the US News & World Report Best States ranking.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings
Minnesota is #2 and South Dakota is #14.
I think it is instructive that the states around us all outrank us except for #21 Wyoming and #27 Montana. Iowa is #1, North Dakota is #4, Nebraska is #7 and as I said, Minnesota is #2.