Richmond Sioux Falls

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Favorable
Cost Index: 97.9 → 90.6
Rent Delta: -$682/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 7% lower cost of living
  • + $682/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + More affordable childcare
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - $7K lower median salary
  • - Higher violent crime rate

Moving from Richmond to Sioux Falls shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 97.9 to 90.6 (100 = US average), so a Richmond salary needs to be multiplied by 0.93 to hold the same purchasing power in Sioux Falls. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,655/month in Richmond to $973/month in Sioux Falls - a lower monthly bill of $682, or $8,184/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $71,318 in Richmond versus $63,923 in Sioux Falls - a raw gap of $7,395 lower. The Sioux Falls labor market has 169,190 tracked jobs against 637,140 in Richmond, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Richmond and Sioux Falls are 223 and 320 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 13.9:1 at origin versus 13.6:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $10,407/year in Richmond versus $6,595/year in Sioux Falls. Our composite verdict - Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Richmond
Sioux Falls
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 97.9
RPP 90.6
Sioux Falls
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,655/mo
$973/mo
Sioux Falls
💼 Wages
$71,318
$63,923
Richmond
🔒 Crime
223 per 100K
320 per 100K
Richmond
🎓 Schools
13.9:1
13.6:1
Sioux Falls
👶 Childcare
$10,407/yr
$6,595/yr
Sioux Falls
🌿 Environment
1855 violations
1192 violations
Sioux Falls

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Richmond to see what you'd need to earn in Sioux Falls to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Sioux Falls
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sioux Falls more expensive than Richmond?
Sioux Falls has an RPP of 90.6 compared to Richmond's 97.9 (100 = national average). Richmond is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Sioux Falls is $973/mo vs $1,655/mo in Richmond.
What are salaries like in Sioux Falls compared to Richmond?
The median salary in Sioux Falls is $63,923 compared to $71,318 in Richmond. That's a -$7,395 difference.
Is Sioux Falls safer than Richmond?
The violent crime rate near Sioux Falls is 320 per 100K vs 223 per 100K near Richmond (state-level data). Richmond has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Sioux Falls to match my Richmond salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Richmond salary by 0.93. For example, a $75,000 salary in Richmond would need to be $69,461 in Sioux Falls. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Favorable" means the destination edges ahead on balance. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)