Sioux City Wheeling

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 86.5 → 88.3
Rent Delta: -$163/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $163/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + Better student-teacher ratios

Cons of Moving

  • - $3K lower median salary
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Sioux City to Wheeling shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 86.5 to 88.3 (100 = US average), so a Sioux City salary needs to be multiplied by 1.02 to hold the same purchasing power in Wheeling. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,154/month in Sioux City to $991/month in Wheeling - a lower monthly bill of $163, or $1,956/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 $58,635 in Wheeling - a raw gap of $3,097 lower. The Wheeling labor market has 52,560 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 Wheeling are 238 and 242 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 14.8:1 at origin versus 13.1:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $8,306/year in Sioux City versus $8,974/year in Wheeling. Our composite verdict - Neutral — Depends on Priorities - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Sioux City
Wheeling
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 86.5
RPP 88.3
Sioux City
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,154/mo
$991/mo
Wheeling
💼 Wages
$61,732
$58,635
Sioux City
🔒 Crime
238 per 100K
242 per 100K
Sioux City
🎓 Schools
14.8:1
13.1:1
Wheeling
👶 Childcare
$8,306/yr
$8,974/yr
Sioux City
🌿 Environment
729 violations
2371 violations
Sioux City

Salary Adjustment Calculator

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

Equivalent salary in Wheeling
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wheeling more expensive than Sioux City?
Wheeling has an RPP of 88.3 compared to Sioux City's 86.5 (100 = national average). Wheeling is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Wheeling is $991/mo vs $1,154/mo in Sioux City.
What are salaries like in Wheeling compared to Sioux City?
The median salary in Wheeling is $58,635 compared to $61,732 in Sioux City. That's a -$3,097 difference.
Is Wheeling safer than Sioux City?
The violent crime rate near Wheeling is 242 per 100K vs 238 per 100K near Sioux City (state-level data). Sioux City has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Wheeling to match my Sioux City salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Sioux City salary by 1.02. For example, a $75,000 salary in Sioux City would need to be $76,621 in Wheeling. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" means both metros are roughly equivalent across the 7 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)