Minnesota vs South Dakota: Whose Tap Water Is Cleaner?
Tap Water Quality in Minnesota (78.8/100) vs South Dakota (96.5/100) — a 20% gap between neighbors, explained with July 2026 data.
Minnesota and South Dakota share a border, but for tap water quality they don't share much else: Minnesota averages 78.8/100 (rank #41 of 51) and South Dakota averages 96.5/100 (rank #6) as of July 2026 — a 20% gap between neighbors.
| Minnesota | South Dakota | U.S. benchmark | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality score | 78.8/100 | 96.5/100 | 84.5/100 |
| Violations per water system | 2.4 | 1.1 | 2.5 |
Minnesota in context
Minnesota lands mid-pack for tap water quality: a score of 78.8/100 ranks #41 of 51, and its water systems averaged 2.4 health-based violations each in 2024 — better than the U.S. average of 2.5.
South Dakota in context
South Dakota has some of the best tap water in the country — a quality score of 96.5/100 ranks #6 of 51, and its water systems averaged 1.1 health-based violations each in 2024 — better than the U.S. average of 2.5.
Full local breakdowns: Minnesota · South Dakota · all states ranked.
Averages describe states, not your faucet. A certified home water test screens for lead, nitrates, bacteria and dozens of other contaminants — the same categories EPA regulates.
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