Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Palm Bay, FL
VS
Sioux Falls, SD
🏆 Sioux Falls leads 13 of 23 categories
Palm Bay
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$62,538
Violent Crime Index
91 ✓ Safer
Population
121,513
Sioux Falls
South Dakota
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,785 ✓ Higher
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.
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
34% less violent crime than Sioux Falls
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 25°F
Homes cost $24k less ($226,200 vs $250,000)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,345/mo
Median income trails Sioux Falls by $9,247/yr
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Sioux Falls
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 2.3%)
Sioux Falls, SD
Pros
Rent averages $380/mo less ($965 vs $1,345)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.4 pts lower (2.3%)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Households earn $9,247 more per year on average
More college-educated — 37.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Palm Bay
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
Palm Bay
Violent Crime
34% lower
347.2 vs 526.7 per 100k
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$24k less
$226,200 vs $250,000
Palm Bay
Summer Heat
6.5°F warmer
July avg high 91.3°F vs 84.8°F
Sioux Falls
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 90.3 vs 100.8 (100 = US avg)
Sioux Falls
Median Income
$9,247
$71,785 vs $62,538/yr
Sioux Falls
Unemployment
3.4 pp lower
2.3% vs 5.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Palm Bay, FL | Sioux Falls, SD |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.8⚠ High | 90.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $226,200 ✓ Lower | $250,000 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,345⚠ High | $965 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,538 | $71,785 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 2.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.2 min | 16.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.8% | 8.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 74 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B (103) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.0% | 37.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% | 93.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BREVARD | Sioux Falls School District 49-5 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer | 25.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer | 84.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.0" | 28.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 45.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,513 | 193,401 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.8 ✓ Older | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 60.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.4% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Palm Bay's cost of living index is 100.8 vs Sioux Falls's 90.3 (US average = 100).
Sioux Falls is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sioux Falls leads 13 of 23 categories. Palm Bay wins 10 and Sioux Falls wins 13. 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 Palm Bay to Sioux Falls or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($226,200 vs $250,000 median home), income ($62,538 vs $71,785), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Palm Bay, FL and Sioux Falls, SD are about 1,399 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.