Georgia to South Dakota Moving Guide
Updated June 5, 2025

Planning a 1,488 mile interstate move from Georgia to South Dakota? This moving guide will help you compare living in Georgia vs South Dakota across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like high humidity vs drier climate), food & health (like Peach Cobbler vs Chislic), real estate & housing (antebellum, colonial vs ranch, split-level), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in South Dakota), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Peach Cobbler and Fried Chicken, but get your taste buds ready for Chislic & Bison Steak
- South Dakota housing costs are 9% less expensive than they are in Georgia
- Rent in South Dakota is 34.43% more affordable than in Georgia
- Moving from Georgia to South Dakota will cost on average between $2,000 - $7,500
- Our top recommended Georgia to South Dakota movers is Moving Etc
Georgia to South Dakota Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Georgia to South Dakota
- High humidity
- Heavy traffic
- Higher cost of living
- Hurricane threat
- Drier climate
- Less congestion
- Affordable housing
- Low natural disasters
- Cold winters
- Less diversity
- Limited food variety
- Quiet evenings
- Warm winters
- Diverse culture
- Southern cuisine
- Active nightlife
Pros of moving from Georgia to South Dakota
- Say goodbye to high humidity and hello to a drier climate
- Look forward to moving away from heavy traffic and moving to South Dakota with less congestion
- Swap the higher cost of living in Georgia for affordable housing in South Dakota
- Get ready for low natural disasters in South Dakota
Cons of moving from Georgia to South Dakota
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from warm winters in Georgia to live with cold winters in South Dakota
- You'll lose out on the pro of diverse culture and have to settle for the con of less diversity
- Time to bid farewell to southern cuisine and get used to a limited food variety in South Dakota
- Swap active nightlife for quiet evenings
Georgia vs. South Dakota: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Georgia | South Dakota |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Peach Cobbler | Chislic |
Most popular meat dish | Fried Chicken | Bison Steak |
Most popular street food item | Pulled Pork Sandwich | Indian Tacos |
Most popular vegan food | Collard Greens | Lentil Stew |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Georgia to South Dakota, you will be trading the iconic Peach Cobbler of Georgia for the equally delicious Chislic of South Dakota. And while the locals in Georgia rave about their flavorful Fried Chicken and sumptuous Pulled Pork Sandwich, South Dakota residents know they have tasty Bison Steak and Indian Tacos to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Collard Greens they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Lentil Stew of South Dakota. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Georgia eateries like The Varsity, Mary Mac's Tea Room, and Gunshow. After the boxes are unpacked in South Dakota, don't wait too long before making your way to South Dakota's acclaimed eateries like Phillips Avenue Diner, Minervas, and Carnaval Brazilian Grill.
When comparing lifestyles, South Dakota shows less emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Georgia. Food truck fans will discover a less desirable selection in South Dakota, compared to what you are used to in Georgia. Also, the overall foodie scene is less bustling in South Dakota.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Georgia and South Dakota
Comparison | Georgia | South Dakota |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Antebellum, Colonial | Ranch, Split-level |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Hardwood floors, Granite countertops | Spacious backyards, Views of nature |
- The Antebellum and Colonial architecture that Georgia is known for will be replaced with the Ranch and Split-level architecture typical of South Dakota.
- Compared to Georgia's real estate listings that commonly reference hardwood floors and granite countertops, South Dakota real estate listings often highlight features like spacious backyards and views of nature.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away; South Dakota is less walkable than Georgia.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike; South Dakota is more bike-friendly than Georgia.
- South Dakota has less of an urban feel than Georgia.
- South Dakota housing costs are 9% less expensive than they are in Georgia, with a median home price of $299,062 compared to Georgiaβs $327,174.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in South Dakota have increased by 48% compared to a 64% increase in Georgia.
- Rent in South Dakota is 34.43% more affordable than in Georgia.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Georgia and South Dakota
Comparison | Georgia | South Dakota |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Hurricanes, Tornadoes | Tornadoes, Blizzards |
Air Quality | Good | Variable |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 89/71 | 85/60 |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 52/34 | 32/13 |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 50 | 23 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 1 | 42 |
- The shades won't be used as much for your move from Georgia to South Dakota. South Dakota gets 3% fewer sunshine days than Georgia.
- South Dakota has lower humidity and a lower average UV index compared to Georgia.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and tornadoes in Georgia, but be on the lookout for potential tornadoes and blizzards in South Dakota.
- Get ready for colder summers. The average summer high temperature in South Dakota is 4 degrees cooler than in Georgia.
- The average winter lows are 21 degrees colder than they are in Georgia.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in South Dakota. South Dakota receives 27 fewer inches of rain compared to Georgia.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Georgia and South Dakota
Comparison | Georgia | South Dakota |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $72,837 | $69,728 |
Cost of Living Index | 93.35 | 94.1 |
State Income Tax | 5.75 | 0.00 |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.93 | 1.22 |
Avg. Sales Tax | 7.0 | 4.5 |
Top 3 Industries | Finance, Real Estate, Services | Agriculture, Mining, Retail |
Affluence | Moderate | Moderate |
Poverty | Moderate | Low |
Homelessness | Moderate | Low |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in South Dakota tend to earn about 4% less than those in Georgia
- The COLI in South Dakota will be 1% higher than what you are used to living in Georgia
- Hooray, moving to SD means you'll no longer have state income taxes
- The affluence in South Dakota is moderate compared to moderate affluence in Georgia
- The poverty level is low in South Dakota compared to moderate poverty in Georgia
- In terms of homelessness, it is moderate in Georgia and low in South Dakota
Political and Religious Climate in Georgia vs. South Dakota
Comparison | Georgia | South Dakota |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Swing State, recently leaning Democrat | Republican Dominant |
Local Politics | Mixture of urban liberal and rural conservative communities | Predominantly conservative communities |
Religion | Christianity dominant, diverse religious communities | Primarily Christian, less religious diversity |
- Georgia tends to lean swing State, recently leaning Democrat in its political climate
- South Dakota, on the other hand, is often described as Republican dominant
- South Dakota's religious environment can be described as primarily Christian with less religious diversity
- Georgia's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as Christianity dominant with diverse religious communities
Education Guide When Moving from Georgia to South Dakota
Comparison | Georgia | South Dakota |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Georgia Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia State University | South Dakota State University University of South Dakota Dakota State University |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Brandon Elementary School (Atlanta) Kittredge Magnet School (Atlanta) Lake Windward Elementary School (Alpharetta) | Challenge Center (Sioux Falls) Discovery Elementary (Sioux Falls) Fred Assam Elementary (Sioux Falls) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Riverwatch Middle School (Suwanee) South Forsyth Middle School (Cumming) Dickerson Middle School (Marietta) | Mickelson Middle School (Brookings) Patrick Henry Middle School (Sioux Falls) Yankton Middle School (Yankton) |
Top 3 High Schools | Northview High School (Johns Creek) Walton High School (Marietta) Lambert High School (Suwanee) | Lincoln High School (Sioux Falls) Roosevelt High School (Sioux Falls) Washington High School (Sioux Falls) |
Top 3 private high schools | The Westminster Schools (Atlanta) Pace Academy (Atlanta) The Lovett School (Atlanta) | O'Gorman High School (Sioux Falls) Sioux Falls Christian Schools (Sioux Falls) Great Plains Lutheran High School (Watertown) |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Atlanta International School (Atlanta) The Walker School (Marietta) Woodward Academy (College Park) | Roncalli Catholic School System (Aberdeen) Sioux Falls Christian Schools (Sioux Falls) Rapid City Christian School (Rapid City) |
Top 3 School Districts | Fulton County Schools Gwinnett County Public Schools Cobb County School District | Sioux Falls School District Rapid City Area School District Brookings School District |
How Much Do Georgia to South Dakota Movers Cost?
Moving 1,488 miles from Georgia to South Dakota will typically cost between $3,000 and $7,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $3,000 - $7,500
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-3 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Atlanta Home Movers
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,046 | 300 ft3 | $6.82 |
1 Bedroom | $3,047 | 450 ft3 | $6.77 |
2 Bedrooms | $5,040 | 750 ft3 | $6.72 |
3 Bedrooms | $7,337 | 1100 ft3 | $6.67 |
4 Bedrooms | $10,592 | 1600 ft3 | $6.62 |
5+ Bedrooms | $11,826 | 1800 ft3 | $6.57 |
Top Georgia to South Dakota Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Georgia to South Dakota movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.
Moving Etc
Best moving company overall for Georgia to South Dakota