Live dataState analytics portal

The real problems facing South Dakota.

We parse public databases to measure issue severity, stripped of political spin. Below is the objective severity of community issues compared with active public narrative focus.

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Longer bar means bigger problem

Problems are ranked by objective severity (hard data) alone, ignoring media hype and political narratives. 0 means the problem does not exist (utopia). 100 means an absolute, catastrophic crisis.

1. Healthcare Access
57.8 (Moderate)Gravity (0–100)+7.6 above national
2. Education Quality
57.6 (Moderate)Gravity (0–100)+8.1 above national
3. Digital Divide
55.2 (Moderate)Gravity (0–100)+4.5 above national
4. Government Inefficiency
53.8 (Moderate)Gravity (0–100)+4.3 above national
5. Political Polarization
52.6 (Moderate)Gravity (0–100)+2.6 above national
6. AI Governance & Automation
50.0 (Moderate)Gravity (0–100)At national avg
7. Crime & Safety
49.6 (Okay)Gravity (0–100)At national avg
8. Climate Vulnerability
42.4 (Okay)Gravity (0–100)6.8 below national
9. Energy Costs
42.0 (Okay)Gravity (0–100)7.9 below national
10. Corporate Influence in Politics
40.7 (Okay)Gravity (0–100)8.9 below national

Comprehensive severity ledger

Detailed breakdown of the raw data, media sentiment, and delta calculations driving the charts above.

Emerging Frictions

Digital Divide
Insufficient coverage
Objective reality (Gravity)55.2/100
Media focus—
Insufficient media coverage for this problem in this state (2 articles). No reliable sentiment score.
National average
50.7/ 100
+4.5 above national
Gravity55.2
Sentiment—
AI Governance & Automation
△ Δ 21.4
Objective reality (Gravity)50.0/100
Media focus28.6/100
South Dakota is facing a significant gap on ai governance & automation (Severity: 50.0), but local politicians and media are receiving limited media coverage (Media: 28.6). The narrative is sleeping on a major problem.
National average
50.0/ 100
At national avg
Gravity50.0
Sentiment28.6

Economic Reality

Energy Costs
· Δ 15.3
Objective reality (Gravity)42.0/100
Media focus26.7/100
There is a modest gap on energy costs between the hard data (42.0) and media coverage (26.7) — worth watching, but not a significant divergence.
National average
49.9/ 100
-7.9 below national
Gravity42.0
Sentiment26.7
Food Insecurity
· Δ 16.4
Objective reality (Gravity)40.6/100
Media focus24.2/100
There is a modest gap on food insecurity between the hard data (40.6) and media coverage (24.2) — worth watching, but not a significant divergence.
National average
48.2/ 100
-7.6 below national
Gravity40.6
Sentiment24.2
Wage Stagnation & Income Inequality
✓ Δ 5.8
Objective reality (Gravity)34.1/100
Media focus39.8/100
Objective facts and media discussion are aligned on wage stagnation & income inequality (34.1 severity). What you read in the headlines matches reality.
National average
49.0/ 100
-14.9 below national
Gravity34.1
Sentiment39.8
Cost of Living & Inflation
· Δ 13.4
Objective reality (Gravity)31.2/100
Media focus44.6/100
There is a modest gap on cost of living & inflation between the hard data (31.2) and media coverage (44.6) — worth watching, but not a significant divergence.
National average
50.1/ 100
-18.9 below national
Gravity31.2
Sentiment44.6
Housing Affordability
△ Δ 34.2
Objective reality (Gravity)18.1/100
Media focus52.3/100
Media coverage is elevated about housing affordability (Media: 52.3), but hard public data reveals this is not as severe as media coverage suggests (Data: 18.1). The public perception is artificially inflated.
National average
49.7/ 100
-31.6 below national
Gravity18.1
Sentiment52.3
Job Availability
△ Δ 32.5
Objective reality (Gravity)16.0/100
Media focus48.5/100
Media coverage is elevated about job availability (Media: 48.5), but hard public data reveals this is not as severe as media coverage suggests (Data: 16.0). The public perception is artificially inflated.
National average
49.8/ 100
-33.8 below national
Gravity16.0
Sentiment48.5

Social & Public Service Infrastructure

Healthcare Access
· Δ 14.5
Objective reality (Gravity)57.8/100
Media focus43.3/100
There is a modest gap on healthcare access between the hard data (57.8) and media coverage (43.3) — worth watching, but not a significant divergence.
National average
50.1/ 100
+7.6 above national
Gravity57.8
Sentiment43.3
Education Quality
· Δ 12.9
Objective reality (Gravity)57.6/100
Media focus44.7/100
There is a modest gap on education quality between the hard data (57.6) and media coverage (44.7) — worth watching, but not a significant divergence.
National average
49.6/ 100
+8.1 above national
Gravity57.6
Sentiment44.7
Crime & Safety
✓ Δ 6.0
Objective reality (Gravity)49.6/100
Media focus55.6/100
Objective facts and media discussion are aligned on crime & safety (49.6 severity). What you read in the headlines matches reality.
National average
49.6/ 100
At national avg
Gravity49.6
Sentiment55.6
Mental Health & Addiction Crisis
△ Δ 25.8
Objective reality (Gravity)27.6/100
Media focus53.3/100
Media coverage is elevated about mental health & addiction crisis (Media: 53.3), but hard public data reveals this is not as severe as media coverage suggests (Data: 27.6). The public perception is artificially inflated.
National average
50.2/ 100
-22.7 below national
Gravity27.6
Sentiment53.3
Transportation & Traffic
△ Δ 29.3
Objective reality (Gravity)18.7/100
Media focus48.0/100
There is a significant gap on transportation & traffic between hard data (18.7) and media coverage (48.0), but it is based on limited media coverage — interpret with caution.
National average
48.5/ 100
-29.8 below national
Gravity18.7
Sentiment48.0

Environmental & Resource Security

Climate Vulnerability
· Δ 16.7
Objective reality (Gravity)42.4/100
Media focus59.1/100
There is a modest gap on climate vulnerability between the hard data (42.4) and media coverage (59.1) — worth watching, but not a significant divergence.
National average
49.2/ 100
-6.8 below national
Gravity42.4
Sentiment59.1
Water Scarcity
· Δ 8.5
Objective reality (Gravity)40.4/100
Media focus48.8/100
There is a modest gap on water scarcity between the hard data (40.4) and media coverage (48.8) — worth watching, but not a significant divergence.
National average
49.7/ 100
-9.3 below national
Gravity40.4
Sentiment48.8
Pollution & Public Health
· Δ 8.7
Objective reality (Gravity)38.3/100
Media focus46.9/100
There is a modest gap on pollution & public health between the hard data (38.3) and media coverage (46.9) — worth watching, but not a significant divergence.
National average
50.2/ 100
-11.9 below national
Gravity38.3
Sentiment46.9
Grid Reliability
△ Δ 40.6
Objective reality (Gravity)37.9/100
Media focus78.6/100
Media coverage is elevated about grid reliability (Media: 78.6), but hard public data reveals this is not as severe as media coverage suggests (Data: 37.9). The public perception is artificially inflated.
National average
49.9/ 100
-12.0 below national
Gravity37.9
Sentiment78.6

Systemic & Governance Frictions

Government Inefficiency
✓ Δ 2.9
Objective reality (Gravity)53.8/100
Media focus50.9/100
Objective facts and media discussion are aligned on government inefficiency (53.8 severity). What you read in the headlines matches reality.
National average
49.5/ 100
+4.3 above national
Gravity53.8
Sentiment50.9
Political Polarization
△ Δ 28.9
Objective reality (Gravity)52.6/100
Media focus81.5/100
Media coverage is elevated about political polarization (Media: 81.5), but hard public data reveals this is not as severe as media coverage suggests (Data: 52.6). The public perception is artificially inflated.
National average
50.0/ 100
+2.6 above national
Gravity52.6
Sentiment81.5
Corporate Influence in Politics
· Δ 17.3
Objective reality (Gravity)40.7/100
Media focus23.4/100
There is a modest gap on corporate influence in politics between the hard data (40.7) and media coverage (23.4) — worth watching, but not a significant divergence.
National average
49.6/ 100
-8.9 below national
Gravity40.7
Sentiment23.4