Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New York, NY
VS
Sioux Falls, SD
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
New York
New York
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,607 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
177⚠ High
Population
8,622,467 ✓ Larger
Sioux Falls
South Dakota
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,785
Violent Crime Index
139⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
193,401
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New York, NY
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 40°F vs 25°F
More college-educated — 40.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $4,822 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $732,100
Higher rents — median is $1,714/mo
Violent crime (671.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls, SD
Pros
Homes cost $482k less ($250,000 vs $732,100)
Rent averages $749/mo less ($965 vs $1,714)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.3 pts lower (2.3%)
Commutes run 24 min shorter each way
22% less violent crime than New York
22% cheaper overall cost of living than New York
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
Median income trails New York by $4,822/yr
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
New York
Median Income
$4,822
$76,607 vs $71,785/yr
Sioux Falls
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 90.3 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Sioux Falls
Violent Crime
22% lower
526.7 vs 671.0 per 100k
Sioux Falls
Median Home Value
$482k less
$250,000 vs $732,100
Sioux Falls
Unemployment
5.3 pp lower
2.3% vs 7.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New York, NY | Sioux Falls, SD |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 90.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $732,100⚠ High | $250,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,714⚠ High | $965 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,607 ✓ Higher | $71,785 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.6%⚠ High | 2.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 41.1 min⚠ High | 16.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.0% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 151⚠ High | 139⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 177⚠ High | 139⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 113⚠ High ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.2% ✓ Higher | 37.0% |
| High School or Higher | 83.3% | 93.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2 | Sioux Falls School District 49-5 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.7°F ✓ Warmer | 25.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.8°F | 84.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.1" | 28.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.5" ✓ Less | 45.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 8,622,467 ✓ Larger | 193,401 |
| Median Age | 37.5 ✓ Older | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 32.9% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.5% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New York's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Sioux Falls's 90.3 (US average = 100).
Sioux Falls is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. New York wins 11 and Sioux Falls wins 11. 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 New York to Sioux Falls or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($732,100 vs $250,000 median home), income ($76,607 vs $71,785), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New York, NY and Sioux Falls, SD are about 1,181 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.