Sioux Falls cost of living
Prices in the Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area run at 90.6 against a national average of 100, ranking it #278 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 77.6.
What drives the number
Prices in Sioux Falls run at 90.6 where the national average is 100, so about 9.4 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #278 of 387 metro areas. Against South Dakota as a whole it is 2 points more expensive, which is the usual direction: cities cost more than the states around them.
Housing is unusually cheap relative to everything else here. Rents sit at 77.6 against goods at 95.5 and other services at 80.7, so the overall figure of 90.6 understates how affordable the housing itself is. Services, which are priced by local wages, are what hold the overall number up. Goods at 95.5 are themselves 4.5 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
Low prices only help if pay does not fall by more. Dividing the local median wage by 90.6 is how to check, and the wage pages carry that comparison.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Sioux Falls is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 7,480 | $68,890 | $76,038 | $93,600 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 5,700 | $36,990 | $40,828 | $37,090 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 5,440 | $29,890 | $32,991 | $30,480 |
| Retail Salespersons | 5,340 | $34,260 | $37,815 | $34,580 |
| Cashiers | 4,050 | $29,840 | $32,936 | $31,190 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3,560 | $41,430 | $45,728 | $42,830 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 3,280 | $45,740 | $50,486 | $49,210 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,960 | $34,130 | $37,671 | $35,930 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 90.6.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | 104.8 | 111.8 | #31 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | 91.8 | 69.4 | #250 |
| Mankato | 91.0 | 79.9 | #271 |
| Fargo | 90.9 | 81.1 | #273 |
| Rochester | 90.8 | 78.6 | #276 |
| Rapid City | 89.2 | 72.6 | #306 |
Sioux Falls: common questions
Is Sioux Falls expensive?
Prices are 9.4% below the national average, a parity of 90.6 where the country is 100. It ranks #278 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against South Dakota as a whole it is 2 points more expensive.
What salary do you need in Sioux Falls?
The median worker there earns $46,720, which buys what $51,567 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 77.6 against goods at 95.5. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.