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Florida to South Dakota Moving Guide

Updated June 21, 2025

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Planning a 1,829 mile interstate move from Florida to South Dakota? This moving guide will help you compare living in Florida vs South Dakota across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like high humidity vs less humidity), food & health (like Key Lime Pie vs Chislic), real estate & housing (spanish revival, mediterranean vs ranch, split-level), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Florida), politics & religion, and education.

Key Takeaways:

  • Say goodbye to Key Lime Pie and Cuban Sandwich, but get your taste buds ready for Chislic & Pheasant
  • South Dakota housing costs are 25% less expensive than they are in Florida
  • Rent in South Dakota is 46.49% more affordable than in Florida
  • Moving from Florida to South Dakota will cost on average between $2,000 - $8,000
  • Our top recommended Florida to South Dakota movers is Sebastian Moving and More

Florida to South Dakota Moving Guide

Pros and Cons of Moving from Florida to South Dakota

ConsFlorida iconFlorida
  • High humidity
  • Hurricane risk
  • Heavy traffic
  • Higher cost of living
  • Flat landscapes
ProsSouth Dakota iconSouth Dakota
  • Less humidity
  • Low natural disasters
  • Less congestion
  • Affordable housing
  • Diverse scenery

South Dakota iconSouth Dakota
  • Cold winters
  • Far from the coast
  • Quieter entertainment
  • Rural lifestyle
  • Seasonal sports
Florida iconFlorida
  • Warm winters
  • Beach accessibility
  • Vibrant nightlife
  • Diverse culture
  • Year-round golf

Pros of moving from Florida to South Dakota

  • Say goodbye to high humidity and hello to less humidity
  • Look forward to moving away from hurricane risk and moving to South Dakota with low natural disasters
  • Swap the heavy traffic of Florida for less congestion in South Dakota
  • Get ready for affordable housing in South Dakota

Cons of moving from Florida to South Dakota

  • Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from warm winters in Florida to live with cold winters in South Dakota
  • You'll lose out on the pro of beach accessibility and have to settle for the con of being far from the coast
  • Time to bid farewell to vibrant nightlife and get used to quieter entertainment in South Dakota
  • Swap diverse culture for a rural lifestyle

Florida vs. South Dakota: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene

ComparisonFloridaSouth Dakota
Most iconic local food itemKey Lime PieChislic
Most popular meat dishCuban SandwichPheasant
Most popular street food itemCuban SandwichIndian Tacos
Most popular vegan foodAcai BowlWild Rice Dish
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state
  • Joe's Stone Crab
  • Versailles Restaurant
  • Bern's Steak House
  • Minervas
  • Phillips Avenue Diner
  • Mount Rushmore Dining
Fitness/Health Conscientiousness (out of 10)πŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺ
Abundance of Food Trucks (out of 10)🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚
Foodie Scene (out of 10)🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴
Vegan Friendly (out of 10)🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

If you're moving from Florida to South Dakota, you will be trading the iconic Key Lime Pie of Florida for the equally delicious Chislic of South Dakota. And while the locals in Florida rave about their flavorful Cuban Sandwich and sumptuous Cuban Sandwich, South Dakota residents know they have tasty Pheasant and Indian Tacos to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Acai Bowl they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Wild Rice Dish of South Dakota. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Florida eateries like Joe's Stone Crab, Versailles Restaurant, and Bern's Steak House. After the boxes are unpacked in South Dakota, don't wait too long before making your way to South Dakota's acclaimed eateries like Minervas, Phillips Avenue Diner, and Mount Rushmore Dining.

When comparing lifestyles, South Dakota shows less emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Florida. Food truck fans will discover a less desirable selection in South Dakota, compared to what you are used to in Florida. Also, the overall foodie scene is less bustling in South Dakota.

Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Florida and South Dakota

ComparisonFloridaSouth Dakota
Typical Architecture StyleSpanish Revival, MediterraneanRanch, Split-level
WalkabilityπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘Ÿ
Bikeability🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲
Urban LifestyleπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈ
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listingPool, WaterfrontSpacious yard, Garage
  • The Spanish Revival and Mediterranean architecture that Florida is known for will be replaced with the Ranch and Split-level architecture typical of South Dakota.
  • Compared to Florida's real estate listings that commonly reference pools and waterfront properties, South Dakota real estate listings often highlight features like spacious yards and garages.
  • You can keep your walking shoes packed away; South Dakota is less walkable than Florida.
  • You might want to think twice before moving your bike; South Dakota is less bike-friendly than Florida.
  • South Dakota has less of an urban feel than Florida.
  • South Dakota housing costs are 25% less expensive than they are in Florida, with a median home price of $299,062 compared to Florida’s $397,137.
  • Over the prior 5 years, home prices in South Dakota have increased by 48% compared to a 66% increase in Florida.
  • Rent in South Dakota is 46.49% more affordable than in Florida.

Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Florida and South Dakota

ComparisonFloridaSouth Dakota
Days of Sunshine per Yearβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈ
Avg. Annual HumidityπŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦
Avg. UV IndexπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈ
Natural DisastersHurricanes, FloodsBlizzards, Tornadoes
Air QualityGoodVery Good
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F)90Β°F / 75Β°F85Β°F / 60Β°F
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F)70Β°F / 48Β°F30Β°F / 10Β°F
Annual Rainfall (Inches)50"22"
Annual Snowfall (Inches)0"44"
  • The shades won't be used as much for your move from Florida to South Dakota. South Dakota gets 10% fewer sunshine days than Florida.
  • South Dakota has lower humidity and a lower average UV index compared to Florida.
  • Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and floods in Florida, but be on the lookout for potential blizzards and tornadoes in South Dakota.
  • Get ready for colder summers. The average summer high temperature in South Dakota is 5 degrees colder than Florida.
  • The average winter lows are 38 degrees colder than they are in Florida.
  • Your umbrella might be neglected in South Dakota. South Dakota receives 28 fewer inches of rain compared to Florida.

Financial & Community Snapshot: Florida and South Dakota

ComparisonFloridaSouth Dakota
Avg. Household Income$69,303$69,728
Cost of Living Index97.894.1
State Income Tax0%0%
Avg. Property Tax0.83%1.32%
Avg. Sales Tax6.8%4.5%
Top 3 IndustriesTourism, Agriculture, HealthcareAgriculture, Tourism, Finance
AffluenceModerateVaried
PovertyModerateLow
HomelessnessNoticeableLow
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Political and Religious Climate in Florida vs. South Dakota

ComparisonFloridaSouth Dakota
Political Make-upMixed; leaning towards Republican in recent electionsStrongly Republican
Local PoliticsVaries greatly from one region to anotherMore homogeneous, conservative values prevalent
ReligionChristian majority (Evangelical Protestant, Catholic), with religious diversity including Jewish and Muslim communitiesLargely Christian (Evangelical Protestant), less religious diversity
  • Florida tends to lean mixed, leaning towards Republican in its political climate
  • South Dakota, on the other hand, is often described as strongly Republican
  • South Dakota's religious environment can be described as largely Christian (Evangelical Protestant) with less religious diversity
  • Florida's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as a Christian majority (Evangelical Protestant, Catholic) with religious diversity including Jewish and Muslim communities

Education Guide When Moving from Florida to South Dakota

ComparisonFloridaSouth Dakota
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3)University of Florida
Florida State University
University of Miami
South Dakota State University
University of South Dakota
South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
Top 3 Elementary SchoolsPine View School (Osprey)
Archimedean Academy (Miami)
Somerset Academy (Pembroke Pines)
Challenge Center (Sioux Falls)
Endeavor Elem (Harrisburg)
Fred Assam Elem (Sioux Falls)
Top 3 Middle SchoolsArchimedean Middle Conservatory (Miami)
Young Women's Preparatory Academy (Miami)
Falcon Cove Middle School (Weston)
George S. Mickelson Middle School (Brookings)
Edison Middle School (Sioux Falls)
Patrick Henry Middle School (Sioux Falls)
Top 3 High School SchoolsPine View School (Osprey)
Stanton College Preparatory (Jacksonville)
School for Advanced Studies (Miami)
Roosevelt High School (Sioux Falls)
Lincoln High School (Sioux Falls)
Washington High School (Sioux Falls)
Top 3 private high schoolsRansom Everglades School (Coconut Grove)
Bolles School (Jacksonville)
Berkeley Preparatory School (Tampa)
O'Gorman High School (Sioux Falls)
Sioux Falls Christian Schools (Sioux Falls)
Great Plains Lutheran High School (Watertown)
Top 3 private K-12 schoolsNorth Broward Preparatory School (Coconut Creek)
American Heritage School (Plantation)
Bolles School (Jacksonville)
Sioux Falls Christian Schools (Sioux Falls)
Aberdeen Christian School (Aberdeen)
Mitchell Christian School (Mitchell)
Top 3 School DistrictsSarasota County Schools
St. Johns County School District
Okaloosa County School District
Sioux Falls School District
Brookings School District
Harrisburg School District

How Much Do Florida to South Dakota Movers Cost?

Moving 1,829 miles from Florida to South Dakota will typically cost between $3,500 and $8,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.

  • Expected Range: $3,500 - $8,000
  • Expected Time To Complete: 3-10 days
  • Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Veteran Moving Group
HOME SIZEMOVING COSTVOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3)$/FT3
Studio$2,239300 ft3$7.46
1 Bedroom$3,337450 ft3$7.41
2 Bedrooms$5,523750 ft3$7.36
3 Bedrooms$8,0461100 ft3$7.31
4 Bedrooms$11,6231600 ft3$7.26
5+ Bedrooms$12,9861800 ft3$7.21

Top Florida to South Dakota Movers

Read our in-depth analysis of the best Florida to South Dakota movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

TOP PICK
Sebastian Moving and More featured image

Sebastian Moving and More

Best moving company overall for Florida to South Dakota

9.72/10
ExceptionalView details
RUNNER-UP
Easy Florida Moving LLC featured image

Easy Florida Moving LLC

9.56/10
ExceptionalView details
ALSO GREAT
Our Family Moving and Storage LLC featured image

Our Family Moving and Storage LLC

9.54/10
ExceptionalView details

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