Places › Iowa › Sioux City

Living in Sioux City, IA

Small city in Iowa

Sioux City is a small city in Iowa, home to about 86,000 people, with 151,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Sioux City a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $218k and rents for $1,390 a month
  • Mild summers: highs around 84°F
  • Low natural disaster risk: 7 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Dog-friendly: 3 dog parks within 9 mi

👎 Cons

  • Smaller job market: about 151,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Fewer graduates: 22% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Sioux City ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
86,000
151,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
33°F / 84°F
Average daily highs · 36″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$218k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,390/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
86
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,192
State income tax per resident · 1.56% property tax
Safety
1.2× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
7 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly tornadoes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
0
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
22%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
OMA
86 mi away

Living in Sioux City: common questions

What is the cost of living in Sioux City?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $218k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,390 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 86, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Sioux City?

Iowa collects about $1,192 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.56% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Sioux City safe?

Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.2× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Sioux City?

Sioux City has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 33°F and summer days around 84°F, with roughly 36″ of snow a year.

Does Sioux City get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from tornadoes, flooding and cold waves: 7 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.37 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Sioux City?

The nearest major airport is OMA, about 86 mi away.

How Sioux City scores

Each bar compares Sioux City with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Quiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Long, snowy winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Friendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Below average
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Below average
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Below average
🐕Dog-friendly Good
⛰️Outdoors Poor
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Moderate crime
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Average
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Good

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Is Sioux City right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.