Median Income
$82,050
household / year
Median Home Value
$256,700
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$775
gross / month
Cost of Living
93
national avg = 100

Is Sioux Center, IA a Good Place to Live?

Sioux Center is a small town of 8,227 in Iowa, with a median household income of $82,050 and a 1.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.

Strengths: Sioux Center stands out for an affordable cost of living, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Sioux Center is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Sioux Center city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 92.9

Sioux Center's overall cost of living index is 92.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Sioux Center costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.

Metric Sioux Center, IA National Avg
Median Home Value $256,700 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $775 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 76.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $82,050 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Sioux Center's violent crime rate is 46.3 per 100,000 residents — 88% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
46.3 /100k
Property Crime
81.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Sioux Center is served primarily by Sioux Center Comm School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Sioux Center, IA National Avg
School District Sioux Center Comm School District —
Elementary Schools 2 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 14.5:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 41.9% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 89.0% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Sioux Center sees average highs of 27.4°F in January and 84.8°F in July, with 29.8 inches of annual precipitation and 34.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricSioux Center, IA
Average High — January27.4°F
Average High — July84.8°F
Annual Precipitation29.8"
Annual Snowfall34.8"

Demographics

MetricSioux Center, IANational Avg
Population8,227—
Median Age31.338.9
Unemployment Rate1.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time11.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)90.1%59.3%
Black or African American0.6%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino6.7%18.9%
Asian1.0%6.3%
Under 1827.5%22.2%
65 and over14.1%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Sioux Center

Sioux Center, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Sioux Center vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Sioux Center's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average. That makes Sioux Center roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $256,700 and median rent is $775/month.
Sioux Center's violent crime rate is 46.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 81.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Sioux Center are operated by Sioux Center Comm School District. The district has 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.5:1. 41.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sioux Center, IA has a population of 8,227, a median household income of $82,050, and an unemployment rate of 1.1%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Sioux Center averages 27.4°F in January and 84.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 29.8 inches with about 34.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Sioux Center, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 51250.
The population of Sioux Center, Iowa is 8,227 with a median age of 31.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Sioux Center: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $256,700, median household income $82,050, crime index 9 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Sioux Center side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.