A Snapshot of Sioux City
At the confluence of three states, where the waters of the Missouri cascade from South Dakota to Nebraska, and where Lewis and Clark once set their compasses and their sights, lies one of the most likable towns in the country — Sioux City, Iowa. 86,000 people now call this tri-state hub home, and with its rolling prairie lands and serene Loess Hills, Sioux City’s population is likely to rise as more Americans flee hectic, big-city schedules for smaller-town feels.
Situated on the westernmost edge of the great state of Iowa, where bitter winter winds whip across the river, Sioux City sometimes feels like it has more in common with its Great Plains neighbors than its Midwestern ones. The climate is drier and colder than its eastern counterparts, like Iowa City, which can count on 38 inches of rain a year compared to Sioux City’s paltry 29. But that doesn’t make the landscape here any less exciting to explore or leaves fewer things to admire within it.
And Sioux City is a great place for adventure. Excellent hiking spots, like Stone State Park, are just minutes away. Take the kids tubing at Cone Park in the wintertime, or head indoors to places like the Sioux City Art Center or the LaunchPAD Children’s Museum. It’s easy to take a day trip into Sioux Falls to brush up on your skiing, or to spend the weekend exploring nearby cities, like Des Moines, Omaha and Minneapolis.
The job market in Sioux City is one of the most reliable in the country — the unemployment rate has stayed below the 3% mark for most of the past year. Manufacturing, trade and healthcare are some of the strongest industries in town, but non-commercial employers are critical, too, especially the United States Air Force 185th Air Refueling Wing.
In contrast to the sky-high real estate prices across the country, homes are affordable in Sioux City — they’re some of the lowest prices of all of Iowa’s largest cities. So, if you’re looking to buy your first home or hoping to save money on what you’re currently spending, Sioux City’s market will likely appeal to you.
If all of this sounds like what you’re looking for in your next hometown, dive into our moving guide to Sioux City below, where we’ll discuss the pros and cons of living in western Iowa, from the cost of living to job opportunities and recreational activities.
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Sioux City’s Cost of Living
Like many cities in the great state of Iowa, affordability is number one in Sioux City, where real estate prices have barely crossed the halfway mark of national values. In Sioux City, the median home value is just $162,600 — like Davenport’s. That’s among the lowest in Iowa’s most populous places. Cedar Rapids homes averaged $177,100 between 2019 and 2023, while those in Des Moines averaged $183,700, Ames averaged $263,800 and Iowa City homes averaged $273,600. Renters will find median rates below the $1,000-dollar mark in Sioux City, making it possible to save up to buy, which 65.5% of residents ultimately do.
Another plus? Income levels in Sioux City are higher than they are in the state’s largest metro areas. The median household income in Sioux City is $65,473, which may be $7,600 lower than the state average, but it’s still higher than all the other cities above, except Cedar Rapids.
Job Opportunities in Sioux City
Unlike many American cities, Sioux City has kept a low unemployment rate for years. Even during the pandemic, when the U.S. rate hit 14.7% — breaking a national record — SC never even hit double-digits. For most of 2024, Sioux City’s unemployment rate stayed below the 3% mark, and in December it stood at 2.9%, well below the national average.
The job market in this western Iowa city is dominated by two industries: trade, transportation and utilities — which employs 20,100 individuals — and manufacturing, which employs 18,800. With 11,000 workers, the government is the third-largest employer in town, followed by leisure, hospitality, professional and business services, each supporting roughly 8,000 jobs.
The total number of nonfarm civilian jobs in the greater Sioux City area, which encompasses parts of Nebraska and South Dakota, held steady at 90,000 between December of 2023 and 2024, and no sector saw gains or losses over 3%. The overall economic palette is not nearly as diverse in Sioux City as it is elsewhere in the county, though, so scout your career options carefully before making the move.
The biggest employers in the city include Tyson Foods, which employs a whopping 4,500 individuals, Sioux City Community Schools, which has 2,400 employees, and Bomgaars, with 2,100 employees. Healthcare providers like MercyOne and UnityPoint Health are critical employers in the region, as is the United States Air Force 185th Air Refueling Wing, which trains airmen for state and federal missions. Energy and energy-support companies like MidAmerican and Sabre Industries round out the mix, with more than 500 employees each.
Cultural and Recreational Activities in Sioux City
Not too big and not too small, Sioux City’s recreational scene occupies the Goldilocks zone of fun. There are great things to do indoors and out, no matter the weather — really — so grab your hiking shoes, your snow boots or just your imagination, and get ready for some unforgettable experiences.
Sioux City hosts one of the region’s biggest annual events — Saturday in the Park. Now in its fourth decade, this July music festival brings 25,000 visitors to the city for a blowout concert each year, with headliners like Buddy Guy, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit.
The city is also a standout in the visual arts. Many urban centers have truly fabulous museums, but local artists aren’t always in the spotlight. Not so at the Sioux City Art Center. The focus of their 1,000-work permanent collection is art from the Upper Midwest, which means you’ll get a feel for the culture of the region here. In 2024, the Sioux City Art Center Biennial: Climate/Change brought together impressive works by artists living within a 300-mile radius of the city to engage with critical issues related to the environment.
Kids have their very own spaces to explore and play in Sioux City, and one of our favorites is the LaunchPAD Children’s Museum. Little tree-climbers can clamber up the charming, apple orchard wall or learn how to grow their own fruits and veggies in the agriculture exhibit. Everything here provides hands-on, educational fun, from the Wind Zone to the water tables and the tractor exhibit, where kids can see and repair engine parts.
When you want to dig into Sioux City life, the Public Museum will take you on a walking tour through time. These kid-friendly, eclectic and information-rich exhibits highlight everything from Native American log houses to early automobiles and iron lungs, giving visitors a broad understanding of the city’s past so we can better understand its present day.
One of the most critical events in Sioux City’s history was Lewis and Clark’s arrival. The expedition stopped in the area in 1804 but, tragically, a member of the team became fatally ill. Sergeant Charles Floyd, the team’s quartermaster, perished from what historians believe may have been appendicitis. Coincidentally, the first successful appendectomy in the U.S. was performed across the state in Davenport by Dr. William West. Alas, 81 years too late. Visitors can pay their respect to the young soldier — who was not even 25 at the time of his death — at the Sergeant Floyd Monument, a sandstone obelisk that marks his grave in a serene, 23-acre greenspace supported by the National Park Service.
Speaking of parks, anyone looking for a great hike will want to lace up their boots for a trek in Iowa’s famous Loess Hills. Stone State Park is only a 15-minute drive from the city, but you’ll feel worlds away hiking, biking or horseback riding on the 15 miles of trails here, which are a part of the National Scenic Byway.
A visit to the Broken Kettle Grasslands will give you a glimpse at what the Iowa landscape once looked like. In these gorgeous, natural prairies — the state’s largest — you’ll see free-roaming bison and wildflowers galore — scarlet globe mallow, big bluestems and dotted blazing star, among them. But the grasses are the star of this preserve — these wild and willowy stalks protect countless species among their verdant trees, making a safe habitat for us all.
And when it’s snowing? Well, that’s when Sioux City comes to life. Cone Park offers tubing all year long, and the winter ice rink converts to a splash pad when the temperatures heat up. For the true polar bear experience, take a road trip up to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and hit the slopes. There are skiing and snowboarding courses from beginning to advanced at the Great Bear Ski Valley, and because it’s less than 90 miles away, it’s an easy day trip.
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United Van Lines’ professional, long-distance movers are ready to help you move. Our full-service moving packages include the following:
- A personal move coordinator for your entire move
- Loading, transporting and unloading of household belongings
- Full-value protection (unless waived)
- Standard transport of appliances (service disconnect/connect not included)
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Need more? You can add as many additional services as your family needs — packing and unpacking, debris removal, car shipping, storage and more.
Are you looking for a local mover in Sioux City, IA? United’s interstate Sioux City agents/movers can provide local moving services in the Sioux City area and Iowa independently under their businesses and brands.
The biggest question when you’re planning a move is whether to hire a professional moving company or take the DIY approach. Remember, relocating is a complicated endeavor, and United is here to answer any questions you may have about how to move to Sioux City.
Start with our week-by-week moving checklist, and then follow up with helpful tips from our digital moving magazine, which will have you organizing like a pro. We have moving advice on nearly every subject, from packing your belongings to settling into your new home. Still thinking about moving to other cities? We have moving guides for cities and states around the country.
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