Death in South Dakota
In 2025, 8,879 people died in South Dakota, about 24 a day. Life expectancy at birth is 78.9 years, 0.1 years below the U.S. average of 79.0. The leading cause of death is cancer.
Quick facts
- South Dakota recorded 8,879 deaths in 2025, about 24 a day (CDC/NCHS provisional counts).
- The death rate in South Dakota was 950 per 100,000 residents in 2025, the 23rd lowest of the 50 states and D.C., against 909 for the U.S. (CDC/NCHS provisional counts and Census Bureau estimates).
- Life expectancy at birth in South Dakota is 78.9 years, against 79.0 for the U.S. (NCHS state life tables for 2022, adjusted to 2024 death rates).
- Women in South Dakota can expect to live 80.9 years at birth and men 77.0 (NCHS state life tables for 2022, adjusted to 2024 death rates).
- The leading cause of death in South Dakota was cancer, with 1,773 deaths in 2024 (CDC/NCHS final data).
Estimated deaths in South Dakota so far today
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Estimate based on 8,879 deaths counted in South Dakota in 2025. Those are CDC provisional counts, newer than the final data for the year before, and they may change slightly. The total is spread over the year by each month's usual share. Days start at midnight Eastern Time.
How long people live in South Dakota
| South Dakota | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone, at birth | 78.9 | 79.0 |
| Women, at birth | 80.9 | 81.5 |
| Men, at birth | 77.0 | 76.5 |
| Years left at 65 | 20.1 | 19.7 |
Life expectancy in years. NCHS state life tables (2022), adjusted to 2024 U.S. death rates; U.S. life tables 2024. Death rates are not adjusted for age, so states with older residents rank higher.
South Dakota had the 46th most deaths of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. in 2025, and the 23rd lowest death rate, 950 per 100,000 residents, against 909 for the whole country.
Work out the numbers for your own age with the life expectancy calculator, or see every state ranked in life expectancy by state.
Age at death in South Dakota
Out of everyone born today, the share who would die at each age if today's death rates held. The most common age is 87.
NCHS state life tables (2022), adjusted to 2024 U.S. death rates.
After a death in South Dakota
- ProbateUSProbate in South DakotaWhen an estate needs probate in South Dakota, the small-estate options, and which court handles it.
- Cheap FuneralFuneral prices in South DakotaPublished prices for direct cremation and burial at funeral homes in the state.
- FuneralUSFind a funeral homeSearch funeral homes by city or ZIP code, with contact details.
- VeteranFuneralsVeteran cemeteries in South DakotaNational and state veterans cemeteries, and the burial benefits veterans and spouses can use.
- FunerariaCercaFunerarias en South DakotaFuneral homes for Spanish-speaking families, in Spanish.
Leading causes of death in South Dakota
Deaths in 2024, by cause.
- Cancer1,773
- Heart disease1,730
- Accidents (unintentional injuries)587
- Alzheimer's disease505
- Chronic lung disease (COPD)452
Source: Stats of the States: death data maps by cause (heart disease, cancer, accidents, stroke, ...), CDC / National Center for Health Statistics, 2024 final data.
The leading causes change a lot with age. See the leading causes of death by age for the U.S.