We're not Wyoming or Alaska, but South Dakota is getting high marks for its tax-friendly environment on this 2017 Tax Day.

FOX Business, on its list of the 'Seven Most Tax-Friendly States', calls South Dakota a 'great choice for high-income taxpayers', first, and foremost due to our lack of state income tax, but also for the amount of money the state spends on infrastructure and pollution services and health services. They equate those with improved quality of life.

But despite those positives, the Mount Rushmore State still lags behind two other states, Wyoming and Alaska, in the tax-friendliest standings.

Why?

Two words: property taxes.

South Dakota's is on the high end (16th highest in the nation), while Wyoming has the seventh lowest rate in the country, and Alaska is in the middle of the pack.

One big plus for Alaska - they provide residents with an annual payment of $1,022, just for living there. I'm sure officials there are hoping that 'kickback' will draw attention away from one of the highest cost of living rates in the U.S., and the lowest quality of services ranking.

One other thing FOX Business didn't like about us - our sales tax on food and non-prescription drugs.'

The folks at Kiplinger weren't as generous when it came to ranking South Dakota among the best tax-friendly states in America.

We came in eighth on their list of the Top Ten:

  1. Wyoming
  2. Alaska
  3. Florida
  4. Nevada
  5. Arizona
  6. Louisiana
  7. Alabama
  8. South Dakota
  9. Mississippi
  10. Delaware

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