Data · South Dakota × US Politics

Women in US Politics in South Dakota

How women in us politics fare in South Dakota — state-adjusted pay gap, state ranking, and the national context that frames the local picture.

78.8%
South Dakota overall earnings ratio (women/men)
Census ACS S2001
#40
of 51 jurisdictions for pay equity
Derived from ACS state ratios
21.2%
Unadjusted pay gap in South Dakota
Census ACS
27.6%
Women in South Dakota’s legislature

The state-adjusted picture

Women in us politics nationally face the same structural conditions as women in every other field — but the overall wage environment in South Dakota modifies the baseline by -6.0% relative to the US average. A state where the overall pay gap is narrower tends to reflect narrower gaps within fields too, though field-specific dynamics dominate for specialized professions.

South Dakota has never elected a woman US Senator.

National context

Women are 51% of US voters and have cast more votes than men in every presidential election since 1980 — but hold 28% of Congressional seats and have never been elected president. This page tracks the current numbers, the swing-state voter data, and the state-level trends.

Full national data Women in US Politics: Numbers, Trends, and Voter Data (2026)

National headline stats (us politics)

28.2%
Women in 119th US Congress (House + Senate, 2025-27)
12
US state governors who are women (as of April 2026)
33.4%
Women among state legislators (US average, 2026)
77th
US global ranking for women's political representation (IPU, April 2026)

Other fields in South Dakota

US Politics in other states

Related pages

Frequently asked

What is the pay gap for women in us politics in South Dakota?

South Dakota’s overall pay ratio is 78.8% — a 21.2% gap. The gap within us politics follows the national pattern modified by South Dakota’s overall wage environment. See the full national field data for in-field specifics.

How does South Dakota rank on pay equity?

South Dakota ranks #40 of 51 US jurisdictions on pay equity, per Census ACS state ratios.

How are women represented in South Dakota politics?

27.6% of South Dakota state legislators are women (CAWP 2024). 1 women from South Dakota serve in the 119th US Congress.

Where does the national us politics data come from?

Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), Rutgers; Inter-Parliamentary Union — Women in Parliament Rankings; OpenSecrets campaign finance data