Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Jose, CA
VS
Sioux Falls, SD
🏆 Sioux Falls leads 12 of 23 categories
San Jose
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,010 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
160⚠ High
Population
1,001,176 ✓ Larger
Sioux Falls
South Dakota
12
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.
San Jose, CA
Pros
Households earn $64,225 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 25°F
More college-educated — 46.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,149,600
Higher rents — median is $2,526/mo
Violent crime (606.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls, SD
Pros
Homes cost $900k less ($250,000 vs $1,149,600)
Rent averages $1561/mo less ($965 vs $2,526)
13% less violent crime than San Jose
23% cheaper overall cost of living than San Jose
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (2.3%)
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails San Jose by $64,225/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
San Jose
Median Income
$64,225
$136,010 vs $71,785/yr
Sioux Falls
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 90.3 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
Sioux Falls
Violent Crime
13% lower
526.7 vs 606.8 per 100k
Sioux Falls
Median Home Value
$900k less
$250,000 vs $1,149,600
Sioux Falls
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
2.3% vs 4.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Jose, CA | Sioux Falls, SD |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.9⚠ High | 90.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,149,600⚠ High | $250,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,526⚠ High | $965 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $136,010 ✓ Higher | $71,785 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 2.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.8 min⚠ High | 16.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.3% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 145⚠ High | 139⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 160⚠ High | 139⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 123⚠ High ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.8:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.0% ✓ Higher | 37.0% |
| High School or Higher | 85.5% | 93.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Jose Unified | Sioux Falls School District 49-5 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 25.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F | 84.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.8" ✓ Drier | 28.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 45.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 1,001,176 ✓ Larger | 193,401 |
| Median Age | 37.8 ✓ Older | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.8% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.7% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Jose's cost of living index is 112.9 vs Sioux Falls's 90.3 (US average = 100).
Sioux Falls is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sioux Falls leads 12 of 23 categories. San Jose 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 San Jose to Sioux Falls or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,149,600 vs $250,000 median home), income ($136,010 vs $71,785), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Jose, CA and Sioux Falls, SD are about 1,382 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.