Moving from West Virginia to South Dakota
West Virginia to South Dakota is a move of about 1,359 miles. Median rent is $946 a month in South Dakota and $872 in West Virginia, and the median home is $257,400 against $162,600. South Dakota has no state income tax, against up to 4.82% in West Virginia. Property tax runs 1.06% of home value in South Dakota and 0.53% in West Virginia.
Moving to South Dakota costs about
$270/mo
less than West Virginia each month, renting on a $80,000 household income
Not your income? Run it on your own numbers
Worth knowing
South Dakota costs less overall, even though housing costs more
Housing runs about $74 a month more in South Dakota, yet the move still works out roughly $270 a month cheaper once taxes and everyday costs are counted. The house is the expensive part; everything else is not.
West Virginia vs South Dakota at a glance
| West Virginia | South Dakota | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $162,600 | $257,400 |
| Median rent | $872/mo | $946/mo |
| State income tax | Up to 4.82% | No state income tax |
| Property tax rate | 0.53% | 1.06% |
| Groceries, gas & goods | 97 | 95 |
| Utilities | 92 | 80 |
Price levels are indexes where 100 is the national average. They cover everyday spending only; housing is the two rows above.
Monthly cost of living: West Virginia vs South Dakota
| Monthly | WV | SD | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| Housing (median rent) | $872 | $946 | +$74 |
| Taxes | |||
| State income taxBiggest factor | $243 | $0 | -$243 |
| Sales tax (on everyday spending) | $89 | $59 | -$30 |
| Everyday costs | |||
| Groceries, gas & goods | $1,770 | $1,750 | -$20 |
| Utilities | $377 | $325 | -$52 |
| Total | -$271 | ||
Cost to move from West Virginia to South Dakota
$2,700 to $5,900
From a container you load yourself up to full-service movers.
Shipping one car adds about $800 to $1,150, against roughly $450 in fuel and lodging to drive it the 3-day trip yourself.
These are statewide figures. Huntington is not West Virginia-average and Sioux Falls is not South Dakota-average, so a specific city can look nothing like its state. Compare metro areas instead to narrow it to 387 real places, including which side of a state line you would live on.
Run this with your own numbers
What jobs pay in South Dakota, after the cost of living
Estimates only, not advice. Housing and income figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2024); price levels from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024); tax rates are for the 2026 tax year, compiled from state revenue departments and the Tax Foundation. Moving costs are modelled from published ranges rather than quoted. Every figure is a statewide median or average and will not match any particular household.