Sioux City Provo-Orem-Lehi

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Unfavorable
Cost Index: 86.5 → 98.2
Rent Delta: +$306/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $2K higher median salary

Cons of Moving

  • - 12% higher cost of living
  • - $306/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More expensive childcare
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Sioux City to Provo-Orem-Lehi shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 86.5 to 98.2 (100 = US average), so a Sioux City salary needs to be multiplied by 1.14 to hold the same purchasing power in Provo-Orem-Lehi. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,154/month in Sioux City to $1,460/month in Provo-Orem-Lehi - a higher monthly bill of $306, or $3,672/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 $61,732 in Sioux City versus $63,856 in Provo-Orem-Lehi - a raw gap of $2,124 higher. The Provo-Orem-Lehi labor market has 293,200 tracked jobs against 69,160 in Sioux City, 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 Sioux City and Provo-Orem-Lehi are 238 and 229 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 14.8:1 at origin versus 21.4:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $8,306/year in Sioux City versus $11,828/year in Provo-Orem-Lehi. Our composite verdict - Unfavorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Sioux City
Provo-Orem-Lehi
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 86.5
RPP 98.2
Sioux City
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,154/mo
$1,460/mo
Sioux City
💼 Wages
$61,732
$63,856
Provo-Orem-Lehi
🔒 Crime
238 per 100K
229 per 100K
Provo-Orem-Lehi
🎓 Schools
14.8:1
21.4:1
Sioux City
👶 Childcare
$8,306/yr
$11,828/yr
Sioux City
🌿 Environment
729 violations
1200 violations
Sioux City

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Sioux City to see what you'd need to earn in Provo-Orem-Lehi to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Provo-Orem-Lehi
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Provo-Orem-Lehi more expensive than Sioux City?
Provo-Orem-Lehi has an RPP of 98.2 compared to Sioux City's 86.5 (100 = national average). Provo-Orem-Lehi is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Provo-Orem-Lehi is $1,460/mo vs $1,154/mo in Sioux City.
What are salaries like in Provo-Orem-Lehi compared to Sioux City?
The median salary in Provo-Orem-Lehi is $63,856 compared to $61,732 in Sioux City. That's a +$2,124 difference.
Is Provo-Orem-Lehi safer than Sioux City?
The violent crime rate near Provo-Orem-Lehi is 229 per 100K vs 238 per 100K near Sioux City (state-level data). Provo-Orem-Lehi has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Provo-Orem-Lehi to match my Sioux City salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Sioux City salary by 1.14. For example, a $75,000 salary in Sioux City would need to be $85,218 in Provo-Orem-Lehi. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Unfavorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Unfavorable" means the origin clearly wins on most dimensions. 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)