Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Sioux Falls, SD
🏆 Arlington leads 14 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Sioux Falls
South Dakota
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,785
Violent Crime Index
139⚠ High
Population
193,401
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $65,602 more per year on average
52% less violent crime than Sioux Falls
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 45°F vs 25°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Sioux Falls
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Sioux Falls, SD
Pros
Homes cost $583k less ($250,000 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1262/mo less ($965 vs $2,227)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (2.3%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.3)
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $65,602/yr
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
Arlington
Median Income
$65,602
$137,387 vs $71,785/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
52% lower
254.4 vs 526.7 per 100k
Arlington
Summer Heat
4.8°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 84.8°F
Sioux Falls
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 90.3 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Sioux Falls
Median Home Value
$583k less
$250,000 vs $833,300
Sioux Falls
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
2.3% vs 2.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Sioux Falls, SD |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 90.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $250,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $965 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $71,785 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% | 2.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 16.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 37.0% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 93.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Sioux Falls School District 49-5 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F ✓ Warmer | 25.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 84.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 28.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" ✓ Less | 45.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 193,401 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 13.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Sioux Falls's 90.3 (US average = 100).
Sioux Falls is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 14 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 14 and Sioux Falls wins 9. 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 Arlington to Sioux Falls or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $250,000 median home), income ($137,387 vs $71,785), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Sioux Falls, SD are about 1,067 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.