Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Plano, TX
VS
Sioux Falls, SD
🏆 Plano leads 15 of 23 categories
Plano
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$105,679 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
284,948 ✓ Larger
Sioux Falls
South Dakota
8
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.
Plano, TX
Pros
71% less violent crime than Sioux Falls
Households earn $33,894 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 58.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 56°F vs 25°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,699/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $412,500
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Sioux Falls
Higher unemployment (4.4% vs 2.3%)
Sioux Falls, SD
Pros
Rent averages $734/mo less ($965 vs $1,699)
Homes cost $163k less ($250,000 vs $412,500)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (2.3%)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Plano
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.3)
Cons
Median income trails Plano by $33,894/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
Plano
Median Income
$33,894
$105,679 vs $71,785/yr
Plano
Violent Crime
71% lower
151.6 vs 526.7 per 100k
Plano
Summer Heat
9.5°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 84.8°F
Sioux Falls
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 90.3 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Sioux Falls
Median Home Value
$163k less
$250,000 vs $412,500
Sioux Falls
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
2.3% vs 4.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Plano, TX | Sioux Falls, SD |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 90.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $412,500⚠ High | $250,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,699⚠ High | $965 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $105,679 ✓ Higher | $71,785 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High | 2.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.8 min | 16.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.3% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 52 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 40 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (134) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.4% ✓ Higher | 37.0% |
| High School or Higher | 93.6% ✓ Higher | 93.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PLANO ISD | Sioux Falls School District 49-5 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F ✓ Warmer | 25.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer | 84.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7" | 28.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" ✓ Less | 45.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,948 ✓ Larger | 193,401 |
| Median Age | 38.9 ✓ Older | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.7% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.7% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Plano's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Sioux Falls's 90.3 (US average = 100).
Sioux Falls is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Plano leads 15 of 23 categories. Plano wins 15 and Sioux Falls wins 8. 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 Plano to Sioux Falls or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($412,500 vs $250,000 median home), income ($105,679 vs $71,785), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Plano, TX and Sioux Falls, SD are about 725 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.