January 9, 2024

South Dakota: Who Pays? 7th Edition


Silhouette of South Dakota

South Dakota

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Chart: Total Taxes for South Dakota
Chart: Sales & Excise Taxes for South Dakota
Chart: All Other Taxes for South Dakota
Chart: Property Taxes for South Dakota
All figures and charts show 2024 tax law in South Dakota, presented at 2023 income levels. Senior taxpayers are excluded for reasons detailed in the methodology. Our analysis includes nearly all (99.6 percent) state and local tax revenue collected in South Dakota.

State and local tax shares of family income

Top 20%
Income Group Lowest 20% Second 20% Middle 20% Fourth 20% Next 15% Next 4% Top 1%
Income Range Less than $28,000 $28,000 to $50,900 $50,900 to $84,400 $84,400 to $136,500 $136,500 to $264,400 $264,400 to $686,200 Over $686,200
Average Income in Group $14,600 $40,400 $65,400 $112,700 $175,900 $385,800 $1,860,100
Sales & Excise Taxes 7.4% 5.7% 5.4% 4.3% 3.9% 2.4% 1.2%
General Sales–Individuals 3.3% 2.7% 2.6% 2% 1.8% 1% 0.3%
Other Sales & Excise–Ind 2.1% 1.2% 1.1% 0.8% 0.6% 0.3% 0.1%
Sales & Excise–Business 2.1% 1.8% 1.8% 1.5% 1.5% 1.1% 0.8%
Property Taxes 3.6% 2.8% 2.9% 2.4% 2.5% 1.6% 1.1%
Home, Rent, Car–Individuals 3% 2.3% 2.4% 2% 1.9% 1% 0.3%
Other Property Taxes 0.6% 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 0.6% 0.6% 0.8%
Income Taxes 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Personal Income Taxes 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Corporate Income Taxes 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Other Taxes 0.4% 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% 0.2% 0.2%
TOTAL TAXES 11.4% 8.8% 8.6% 7% 6.7% 4.2% 2.6%
Individual figures may not sum to totals due to rounding.

ITEP Tax Inequality Index

ITEP’s Tax Inequality Index measures the effects of each state’s tax system on income inequality. According to this measure, South Dakota has the 6th most regressive state and local tax system in the country. Income disparities are larger in South Dakota after state and local taxes are collected than before. (See Appendix B for state-by-state rankings and the report methodology for additional detail.)

Tax features driving the data in South Dakota

No significant progressive features
Real estate transfer tax does not include higher rate on high-value sales
No tax credits to offset sales, excise, and property taxes
Comparatively high reliance on sales and excise taxes
Does not levy a tax on estates or inheritances
State sales tax base includes groceries
Local sales tax bases include groceries
No corporate income tax
No personal income tax