Vehicles
South Dakota had approximately 1.05 million registered vehicles in 2024, reflecting a rural, car-dependent population.
Households without a vehicle
2006–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, B08201 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicles per 1,000 Residents | 1136 | 910 |
- •South Dakota has more registered vehicles than residents on a per-capita basis, typical of rural, spread-out states.
Public Transit
Public transit options in South Dakota remain very limited, with residents relying overwhelmingly on personal vehicles for daily travel in 2023-2024.
Workers commuting by public transit
2006–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, share of workers 16+, B08301 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Transit Commute Share (%) | 0.4 | 3.1 |
- •Sioux Falls operates the state's largest public bus system, but ridership remains a small fraction of total commuting.
Airports
Sioux Falls Regional Airport handled about 1.3 million passengers in 2023, making it South Dakota's busiest air hub alongside Rapid City Regional Airport.
Passengers boarded at all commercial airports in South Dakota
2011–2025FAA Air Carrier Activity Information System, calendar-year commercial-service enplanements.
Passengers boarded at Joe Foss Field (FSD)
2011–2025FAA calendar-year enplanements.
| Indicator | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Largest Airport Passengers (thousands) | 1300 | 41000 |
- •Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) is the main gateway to Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills tourism region.
Traffic
South Dakota experiences minimal traffic congestion compared to national norms, aided by its short commute times and low urban density.
Traffic fatalities
1994–2024NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), State Traffic Data.
Fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles
1994–2024NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), State Traffic Data.
| Indicator | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Mean Commute (minutes) | 17.6 | 26.8 |
- •Sioux Falls and Rapid City, South Dakota's largest cities, see far less congestion than comparable metro areas in other states.
Commuting Patterns
South Dakota commuters enjoy one of the shortest average commute times in the nation, at about 17.6 minutes in 2023.
Mean travel time to work
2006–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, aggregate travel time ÷ workers not working at home, B08013/B08012 (2020 not released).
Workers who drive alone
2006–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, share of workers 16+, B08301 (2020 not released).
Workers who work from home
2006–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, share of workers 16+, B08301 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Mean Commute (minutes) | 17.6 | 26.8 |
- •South Dakota's short commute times reflect its low population density and lack of major urban congestion.
Infrastructure
South Dakota maintains about 83,000 kilometers of public roads, anchored by Interstates 90 and 29 connecting its major cities.
Bridges in poor condition
2000–2025FHWA National Bridge Inventory, Bridge Condition by Highway System (as of June each year).
Bridges in good condition
2000–2025FHWA National Bridge Inventory, Bridge Condition by Highway System (as of June each year).
Total highway bridges
2000–2025FHWA National Bridge Inventory, Bridge Condition by Highway System (as of June each year).
Vehicle miles traveled
1994–2024FHWA vehicle miles traveled as published with NHTSA FARS (fatalities ÷ fatality rate per 100M VMT).
| Indicator | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Road Network (thousand km) | 83 | 6600 |
- •Interstate 90 across South Dakota is one of the longest continuous interstate stretches in the country, spanning the entire state east-west.