Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Ana, CA
VS
Sioux Falls, SD
🏆 Sioux Falls leads 15 of 23 categories
Santa Ana
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,210 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
130⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
311,379 ✓ Larger
Sioux Falls
South Dakota
15
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.
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
6% less violent crime than Sioux Falls
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 25°F
Households earn $12,425 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,000
Higher rents — median is $1,885/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Sioux Falls
Violent crime (493.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Sioux Falls, SD
Pros
Homes cost $374k less ($250,000 vs $624,000)
Rent averages $920/mo less ($965 vs $1,885)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Ana
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 pts lower (2.3%)
More college-educated — 37.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Cons
Violent crime (526.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Santa Ana by $12,425/yr
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
Santa Ana
Median Income
$12,425
$84,210 vs $71,785/yr
Santa Ana
Violent Crime
6% lower
493.1 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
$374k less
$250,000 vs $624,000
Sioux Falls
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
2.3% vs 5.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Ana, 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 | $624,000⚠ High | $250,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,885⚠ High | $965 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $84,210 ✓ Higher | $71,785 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 2.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.0 min | 16.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.0% | 8.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 130⚠ High ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (84) | B (103) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 17.9% | 37.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 65.2% | 93.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Ana 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 | 311,379 ✓ Larger | 193,401 |
| Median Age | 33.4 | 34.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.8% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.1% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.6% | 13.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Ana'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 15 of 23 categories. Santa Ana wins 8 and Sioux Falls wins 15. 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 Santa Ana to Sioux Falls or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($624,000 vs $250,000 median home), income ($84,210 vs $71,785), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Ana, CA and Sioux Falls, SD are about 1,322 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.