Wheeling Sioux City

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

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

Pros of Moving

  • + $3K higher median salary
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - $163/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios

Moving from Wheeling to Sioux City shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 88.3 to 86.5 (100 = US average), so a Wheeling salary needs to be multiplied by 0.98 to hold the same purchasing power in Sioux City. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $991/month in Wheeling to $1,154/month in Sioux City - a higher 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 $58,635 in Wheeling versus $61,732 in Sioux City - a raw gap of $3,097 higher. The Sioux City labor market has 69,160 tracked jobs against 52,560 in Wheeling, 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 Wheeling and Sioux City are 242 and 238 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 13.1:1 at origin versus 14.8:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $8,974/year in Wheeling versus $8,306/year in Sioux City. 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
Wheeling
Sioux City
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 88.3
RPP 86.5
Sioux City
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$991/mo
$1,154/mo
Wheeling
💼 Wages
$58,635
$61,732
Sioux City
🔒 Crime
242 per 100K
238 per 100K
Sioux City
🎓 Schools
13.1:1
14.8:1
Wheeling
👶 Childcare
$8,974/yr
$8,306/yr
Sioux City
🌿 Environment
2371 violations
729 violations
Sioux City

Salary Adjustment Calculator

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

Equivalent salary in Sioux City
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sioux City more expensive than Wheeling?
Sioux City has an RPP of 86.5 compared to Wheeling's 88.3 (100 = national average). Wheeling is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Sioux City is $1,154/mo vs $991/mo in Wheeling.
What are salaries like in Sioux City compared to Wheeling?
The median salary in Sioux City is $61,732 compared to $58,635 in Wheeling. That's a +$3,097 difference.
Is Sioux City safer than Wheeling?
The violent crime rate near Sioux City is 238 per 100K vs 242 per 100K near Wheeling (state-level data). Sioux City has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Sioux City to match my Wheeling salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Wheeling salary by 0.98. For example, a $75,000 salary in Wheeling would need to be $73,413 in Sioux City. 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)