Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Sioux Falls, SD
🏆 Sioux Falls leads 12 of 23 categories
Orange
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728
Sioux Falls
South Dakota
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,785
Violent Crime Index
139⚠ High
Population
193,401 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Orange, CA
Pros
Households earn $37,550 more per year on average
57% less violent crime than Sioux Falls
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 25°F
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Higher rents — median is $2,148/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Sioux Falls
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Sioux Falls, SD
Pros
Homes cost $598k less ($250,000 vs $848,200)
Rent averages $1183/mo less ($965 vs $2,148)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (2.3%)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.3)
Cons
Median income trails Orange by $37,550/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
Orange
Median Income
$37,550
$109,335 vs $71,785/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
57% lower
226.1 vs 526.7 per 100k
Sioux Falls
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 90.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Sioux Falls
Median Home Value
$598k less
$250,000 vs $848,200
Sioux Falls
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
2.3% vs 4.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | Sioux Falls, SD |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 90.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High | $250,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $965 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $71,785 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 2.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 16.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B (103) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 37.0% |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% | 93.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | Sioux Falls School District 49-5 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 25.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 84.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 28.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 45.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 | 193,401 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Sioux Falls's 90.3 (US average = 100).
Sioux Falls is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sioux Falls leads 12 of 23 categories. Orange wins 11 and Sioux Falls wins 12. 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 Orange to Sioux Falls or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $250,000 median home), income ($109,335 vs $71,785), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Sioux Falls, SD are about 1,319 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.