Wages Required for Self-Sufficiency in South Dakota

This publication discusses how much money a South Dakota breadwinner has to earn to be considered self-sufficient. The data presented is at the county level, reflecting the difference in cost of living among the state’s counties. The authors replicate the techniques developed by Diana Pearce in The Self-Sufficiency Standard for South Dakota (2000). Pearce described self-sufficiency as “earning adequate wages to provide for basic needs without additional support.” As Pearce’s publication has become dated and it seems unreasonable to wait for another regional study to update our local data, in respectfully updating her report, we stand on Dr. Pearce’s shoulders