Residential comparison · 13 facts
Des Moines, IA vs Sioux City, IA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Des Moines needs about $81,000 in Sioux City to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Sioux City, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $89,000 in Des Moines.
A few differences
- Sioux City is lower on property tax rate (1.5% vs 1.8%).
- Sioux City is lower on sales tax (6.9% vs 7%).
- Sioux City is higher on median household income ($68,906 vs $62,000).
Des Moines vs Sioux City · facet by facet
| Facet | Des Moines, IA | Sioux City, IA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $220,000 | $173,600 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,300/mo | $1,000/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.8% | 1.5% |
| State & local income tax | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Sales tax | 7% | 6.9% |
| Cost of living index | 88 | 77 |
| Groceries index | 94 | 94 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $150/mo |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $68,906 |
| Unemployment rate | 3% | 3% |
| Crime index | 45/100 | 38/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 204 days | 200 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Des Moines, IA · Sioux City, IA
Questions & answers
- Is Des Moines cheaper than Sioux City?
- Sioux City has the lower day-to-day cost index (77 vs 88 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Sioux City equals $85,000 in Des Moines?
- A household earning $85,000 in Des Moines needs about $81,000 in Sioux City to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Sioux City lifestyle costs about $89,000 in Des Moines.