Sioux Falls Mount Vernon-Anacortes

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Should you move?

Moving from Sioux Falls to Mount Vernon-Anacortes is unfavorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 90.6 to 102.4 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent rises by $747/mo.

+$10,712
BLS median salary higher in Mount Vernon-Anacortes
320 to 329
violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
13.6:1 to 17.6:1
NCES student-teacher ratio
$9,392
DOL infant care higher / yr in Mount Vernon-Anacortes

BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.

Verdict
Unfavorable
Cost Index: 90.6 → 102.4
Rent Delta: +$747/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $11K higher median salary

Cons of Moving

  • - 12% higher cost of living
  • - $747/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More expensive childcare
  • - More environmental violations

Purchasing power tightens: BEA RPP rises from 90.6 to 102.4, so the same paycheck buys less in Mount Vernon-Anacortes (ratio 1.13). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent rises $747/mo ($8,964/yr) from $973 in Sioux Falls to $1,720 in Mount Vernon-Anacortes.

Sioux Falls still leads on 6 of 7 federal dimensions, the origin keeps the edge. Mount Vernon-Anacortes sits #253 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Sioux Falls is #26/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Unfavorable. Override it with the dimension table below.

BLS OEWS median salary moves $10,712 higher ($63,923 → $74,635). Labor-market size: 169,190 tracked jobs at origin vs 46,720 at destination.

State retirement friendliness favors staying put: South Dakota scores 73 (B, #7/51) vs Washington at 38 (F, #51/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.

Dimension
Sioux Falls
Mount Vernon-Anacortes
Winner
Cost of Living
RPP 90.6
RPP 102.4
Sioux Falls
Rent (2BR)
$973/mo
$1,720/mo
Sioux Falls
Wages
$63,923
$74,635
Mount Vernon-Anacortes
Crime
320 per 100K
329 per 100K
Sioux Falls
Schools
13.6:1
17.6:1
Sioux Falls
Childcare
$6,595/yr
$15,987/yr
Sioux Falls
Environment
1217 violations
2879 violations
Sioux Falls

State retirement friendliness

Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.

Origin state · South Dakota
73 B #7/51
Income tax
100
Property tax
64
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
70
Destination state · Washington
38 F #51/51
Income tax
63
Property tax
63
Estate tax
50
Healthcare
18

Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).

Salary Adjustment Calculator

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

Equivalent salary in Mount Vernon-Anacortes
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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026