Median Income
$64,250
household / year
Median Home Value
$149,800
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$904
gross / month
Cost of Living
88
national avg = 100

Is Sioux City, IA a Good Place to Live?

Sioux City is a mid-sized city of 85,469 in Iowa, with a median household income of $64,250 and a 4.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is 12% below the national average.

Strengths: Sioux City stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index. Whether Sioux City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Sioux City 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: 88.1

Sioux City's overall cost of living index is 88.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Sioux City costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.

Metric Sioux City, IA National Avg
Median Home Value $149,800 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $904 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 65.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $64,250 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

Sioux City's violent crime rate is 555.4 per 100,000 residents — 46% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
555.4 /100k
Property Crime
3324.0 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Sioux City is served primarily by Sioux City Comm School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Sioux City, IA National Avg
School District Sioux City Comm School District —
Elementary Schools 13 —
Middle Schools 3 —
High Schools 3 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 15.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 85.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Sioux City sees average highs of 29.7°F in January and 85.7°F in July, with 32.3 inches of annual precipitation and 36.0 inches of snow per year.

MetricSioux City, IA
Average High — January29.7°F
Average High — July85.7°F
Annual Precipitation32.3"
Annual Snowfall36.0"

Demographics

MetricSioux City, IANational Avg
Population85,469—
Median Age34.838.9
Unemployment Rate4.7%3.7%
Avg Commute Time16.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)72.8%59.3%
Black or African American5.2%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino12.6%18.9%
Asian2.6%6.3%
Under 1826.1%22.2%
65 and over14.2%16.8%

Nearby Cities

South Sioux City, NE 3 mi Dakota Dunes, SD 5 mi Dakota City, NE 6 mi North Sioux City, SD 6 mi Sergeant Bluff, IA 7 mi

ZIP Codes in Sioux City

Sioux City, IA is covered by 8 ZIP codes:

51106 51103 51108 51104 51111 51105 51109 51101

Sioux City vs Other Cities

Sioux City, IA vs South Sioux City, NE Sioux City, IA vs Dakota Dunes, SD Sioux City, IA vs Dakota City, NE Sioux City, IA vs North Sioux City, SD Sioux City, IA vs Sergeant Bluff, IA

Frequently Asked Questions

Sioux City's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average. That makes Sioux City roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $149,800 and median rent is $904/month.
Sioux City's violent crime rate is 555.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3324.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Sioux City are operated by Sioux City Comm School District. The district has 13 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.0:1. 22.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sioux City, IA has a population of 85,469, a median household income of $64,250, and an unemployment rate of 4.7%. 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 City averages 29.7°F in January and 85.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 32.3 inches with about 36.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Sioux City, IA is covered by 8 ZIP codes: 51106, 51103, 51108, 51104, 51111, 51105, 51109, 51101.
The population of Sioux City, Iowa is 85,469 with a median age of 34.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Sioux City: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $149,800, median household income $64,250, crime index 151 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Sioux City side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.