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Relocation profile · Federal data

Sioux City, IA-NE-SD

BEA RPP 86.5 ranks #29 of 387 scored metros for lower prices (cheaper third).

86.5
Cost index (US=100)
$1,154
2BR rent / mo
$61,732
Median salary
58.7
LiveAbility Score

The verdict

As of June 2026, Sioux City ranks #76 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (58.7/100), with its strongest marks in cost of living and housing.

#76
of 387 US metros · Above median
3,241,488
metro-area population
238
violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
1,326
schools in the state (NCES)

Weakest dimension: low hazard (24/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.

According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), Sioux City ranks #76 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 86.5 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,154/mo, median salary $61,732; LiveAbility Score 58.7/100, strongest in cost of living and housing.

Signature: BEA RPP 86.5 ranks #29 of 387 scored metros for lower prices (cheaper third).

Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP 86.5 lands in the cheaper third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $1,154/mo.

LiveAbility 58.7/100 puts Sioux City in the top third (#76 of 387).

BLS OEWS total employment in the Sioux City area is 69,160.

Sioux City vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score

Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)

59 Top 20% higher than 80% of 387 US metros

Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026

Sioux City housing and rent

HUD Fair Market Rents for the Sioux City MSA; housing RPP 57.8 (100 = national average); 2BR $1,154/mo.

Studio
$796
/month
1 Bedroom
$925
/month
2 Bedroom
$1,154
/month
3 Bedroom
$1,386
/month
4 Bedroom
$1,528
/month

Sioux City wages and employment

Sioux City posts 69,160 total employment with median salary $61,732 against a cheaper-than-average RPP.

Median Salary
$61,732
Mean Salary
$64,603
Total Employment
69,160

Top Occupations by Employment

Occupation Median Salary
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $51,540
Retail Salespersons $30,150
Fast Food and Counter Workers $29,090
Food Processing Workers, All Other $46,350
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers $47,580

Schools & Education

State-level education data for the Sioux City area from NCES.

Schools
1,326
Enrollment
497,853
Student:Teacher
14.8:1
Title I %
0%

Childcare Costs

State-average childcare costs for the Sioux City area (DOL data).

Infant (Center)
$8,306
per year
Toddler (Center)
$7,157
per year
Preschool (Center)
$7,157
per year

Life Score Breakdown

Sioux City's composite Life Score is 59.8/100 (C-), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.

Cost
93/100
Elite
Wages
36/100
Below average
Rent
72/100
Strong
Crime
72/100
Strong
Schools
45/100
Average
Childcare
64/100
Above average
Environment
14/100
Bottom decile

LiveAbility Score

View full rankings →

Sioux City ranks #76 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 58.7/100 - a composite of 8 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data. Customize the weights to match your priorities →

Strongest dimension: Cost of living (93/100)

Sioux City - dimension scores

Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)

score

What this shows Sioux City's strongest dimensions are cost of living and housing; its weakest among scored dims is low hazard at 24/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%.

Source BEA · BLS · HUD · FBI · NCES · EPA · NOAA · FEMA As of Federal data, latest available vintage

Compare Sioux City to

Johnstown Jonesboro Joplin Kahului-Wailuku Kalamazoo-Portage Kankakee

Metros near Sioux City on cost, LiveAbility, or wages

Nearest out-of-state neighbors to Sioux City on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.

Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)

Similar LiveAbility score

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Sioux City cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Sioux City wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.

Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →

Thinking about Sioux City?

Sioux City runs a $61,732 median salary at a 86.5 cost index, ranking #76 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.

  • See exactly what Sioux City's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
  • Put Sioux City head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare Sioux City
  • Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
  • A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide

Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.