Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Albany, NY
VS
Sioux Falls, SD
🏆 Sioux Falls leads 15 of 23 categories
Albany
New York
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6
Median Household Income
$54,736
Violent Crime Index
215⚠ High
Population
99,692
Sioux Falls
South Dakota
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,785 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
139⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
193,401 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Albany, NY
Pros
Homes cost $37k less ($213,400 vs $250,000)
More college-educated — 43.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 33°F vs 25°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (816.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Sioux Falls by $17,049/yr
Property crime (2848.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.0% vs 2.3%)
Sioux Falls, SD
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.7 pts lower (2.3%)
36% less violent crime than Albany
Households earn $17,049 more per year on average
Rent averages $165/mo less ($965 vs $1,130)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.3)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Albany
Cons
Violent crime (526.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2915.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Albany
Median Home Value
$37k less
$213,400 vs $250,000
Sioux Falls
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 90.3 vs 97.6 (100 = US avg)
Sioux Falls
Median Income
$17,049
$71,785 vs $54,736/yr
Sioux Falls
Violent Crime
36% lower
526.7 vs 816.9 per 100k
Sioux Falls
Unemployment
5.7 pp lower
2.3% vs 8.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Albany, NY | Sioux Falls, SD |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.6 | 90.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $213,400 ✓ Lower | $250,000 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,130 | $965 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,736 | $71,785 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.0%⚠ High | 2.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.3 min | 16.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 183⚠ High | 139⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 215⚠ High | 139⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 136⚠ High ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.0% ✓ Higher | 37.0% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% | 93.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Sioux Falls School District 49-5 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F ✓ Warmer | 25.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 83.9°F | 84.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.1" | 28.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 56.2" | 45.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,692 | 193,401 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.0 | 34.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.7% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.1% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.7% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Albany's cost of living index is 97.6 vs Sioux Falls's 90.3 (US average = 100).
Sioux Falls is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sioux Falls leads 15 of 23 categories. Albany wins 8 and Sioux Falls wins 15. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Albany to Sioux Falls or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,400 vs $250,000 median home), income ($54,736 vs $71,785), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Albany, NY and Sioux Falls, SD are about 1,155 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.