Welcome to Sioux City: Where Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota Meet
In the northwest corner of the Hawkeye State, where Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota converge on the banks of the Missouri River, sits one of the Midwest’s best-kept secrets: Sioux City, Iowa. As the fourth-largest city in Iowa, Sioux City is no small potato in the great corn state, even if its population of 86,000 still makes it small by national spud standards.
One major benefit of living outside the big city is the small-town prices here. Home ownership rates are high and real estate costs are low in the tri-state area of Siouxland, and unemployment rates have also bucked climbing national trends. That’s thanks to the presence of both corporate employers — like Bomgaars and Sabre Industries — and governmental ones, like the Iowa Air National Guard’s 185th Air Refueling Wing. All of this makes Sioux City an appealing choice for both young families and those looking to make a career move to a more affordable region.
While Sioux City may not have the cultural amenities of a major U.S. metro, this just means better chances that your friends will all be doing the same cool thing at the same time, like cheering on the USHL Musketeers, seeing an exhibition at the Sioux City Art Center, or sipping cocktails at the Diving Elk gastropub. And with its friendly, small-town vibes and the gorgeous landscape of the rolling Loess Hills, Sioux City more than defies the expectations of its regrettable airport code — SUX.
If you’re looking for a new place to call home that has a warm Midwestern vibe, chilly winters, and cool things to do all year round, Sioux City may be the place for you. Learn more below in our moving guide to Sioux City, Iowa, where we’ll discuss the job market, housing options, and our favorite things to do in town.
Sioux City’s Cost of Living: Big Value, Small Price Tag
One of the most obvious appeals to Sioux City is its affordability. While the median home value in the U.S. has now broken the $300,000 mark, Iowa’s hasn’t even crested $200,000, and at $162,600, Sioux City’s is one of the lowest of all the major cities in the Hawkeye State. Renters, too, have a far easier time affording housing in the city, with rates averaging $936/month between 2019 and 2023. This is great news for anyone, but especially for first-time buyers, who may be unable to break into higher-priced markets.
While income levels here are significantly lower than the national average — Sioux Citizens make $65,473 per household per year compared to $78,538 nationally — this hasn’t impeded home ownership rates, which have reached 65.5% — higher than even the national average. If you’re making a career move from a larger city outside of Iowa, you may need to adjust your salary expectations, which might reflect the lower cost of living in Sioux City.
Job Opportunities in Sioux City: Solid Work
While many American cities are looking for ways to bring back their manufacturing base, Sioux City’s never left. This employment sector is still one of the city’s largest, employing roughly 15,000 individuals across the tri-state area. Only trade, transportation and utilities employs more, with 16,100 workers in the region. Education and health services; leisure and hospitality; and retail trade are also critical to Sioux City’s economy.
Home goods supplier Bomgaars is headquartered in Sioux City, as is Seaboard Triumph Foods. This leading pork producer is also a leader in clean energy — it runs entirely on wind power. The company even captures the methane gas from the hog lagoons, which is — technically —a pig-generated wind product. Oink! Other major employers include Sioux City Community Schools, MercyOne Siouxland and Sabre Industries. The government also employs many people in the area. The 185th Air Refueling Wing, a KC-135 tanker unit of the Iowa Air National Guard, employs around 1,300 residents, including civilian workers.
Thanks to this diverse array of prospering businesses and organizations, Sioux City’s unemployment rate has remained remarkably low over the past 12 months, staying at or below 3% until January 2025, when the rate rose to 3.8%. Even at this elevated number, Sioux City still handily beats out the national average, which has stayed above 4% for the past 11 months.
Fun, Culture and Outdoor Adventures in Sioux City
If you’re moving to a city of less than 100,000, it’s fair to wonder what you might do in your time off. But don’t worry — Sioux City is one step ahead of you. Whether you’re into pro sports and outdoor adventures or you’re more of an artsy, indoorsy type, this tri-state area has an activity to suit every recreational mood.
One of the city’s most notable cultural attractions is the Sioux City Art Center. This creative institution was born as a WPA project in the ‘30s and has gone on to amass an impressive collection, focusing on local and regional artists. The SCAC also offers a wide array of classes, so you might just find your own work featured within these walls in the future. In September, bring the fam to ArtSplash, the annual arts festival at the center, which brings together great artists, musicians and food vendors for a weekend of late-summer fun.
If you’re looking for a true blowout event, the unassumingly named Saturday in the Park draws crowds of 25,000+ to see the biggest stars take the stage. Since 1991, the music festival and Fourth of July celebration has brought in colossal acts like Earth, Wind & Fire, Buddy Guy, Wilco, Los Lobos and Bonnie Raitt. And you’ll find an equally stellar variety of local eats, too. There will be no shortage of dairy-centric, Midwestern fair classics, like cheese curds, freshly battered cheese curds, and smoky mac & cheese, but you’ll also find an impressive array of tacos. We’ve had tacos in a tub, Indian tacos, walking tacos, tongue taco bowls and even taco blizzards — a culinary storm you really must experience for yourself to believe. Wash it all down with some agua frescas and some deep-fried desserts.
Sioux City prides itself on its family-centric amenities, and the LaunchPAD Children’s Museum does not disappoint. Kids can play-scoop ice cream, build a magnetized meteor maze and rule the roost in the stables, helping to feed chickens, rabbits and horses. In the Pork Production area, daring guests can see how the sausage is really made by completing the eye-opening (no, eye-closing) “pig puzzle,” finding which parts those juicy breakfast links come from.
Another kiddo-friendly locale is the Sioux City Public Museum, which takes you on a journey through the city’s history, from the earliest relics of civilization to major contemporary moments. Visitors are welcomed by a 35-foot-tall mural of the 1887 Corn Palace, which drew 140,000 visitors to town when it was constructed for the Corn Palace Festival. Now many people have experienced the grainy pleasure of a corn maze, but this monument of maize encompassed 18,000 square feet and the entire city costumed itself with cobs for the occasion. One newspaper cornily remarked, “there will be no higher rank recognized than Kernels” during the event.
If you’re hoping to get your game on, the Tyson Events Center’s Fleet Farm Arena hosts both the USHL Musketeers smash-ups (Go Muskies!) and NAL Bandits games. From May to October, the arena hosts the Sioux City Farmers Market every Wednesday and Saturday, and the kids will clamber to see the annual Abu Bekr Shrine Circus there, now in its 73rd year.
Sioux City has a fun-loving, rain-or-shine-or-blizzard spirit, so no matter what the conditions are outside, someone is likely out there enjoying themselves. When the weather is nice, minimalists will enjoy a bike ride through Iowa’s famous hills, where Loess is more. The 62-mile trail on the National Scenic Byway takes you through this sculpted, geologic wonder where you can soak in the beauty of the remnant prairies and all the wildlife within them. Plan an overnight stay in nearby Stone State Park, where the 1930s lodge and rustic camping cabins are a welcome respite from 21st-century life.
Iowa’s Broken Kettle Grasslands encompass the largest single swath of unbroken prairielands in the state, and hikers will be astonished by some of the residents of this special terrain, like bison, badgers, black-billed magpie and the rare prairie rattlesnake. When the winter weather arrives, Cone Park has a 700-foot-long snow-tubing hill, and unlimited runs and a lift make it possible to tire out your children without breaking the bank.
Other must-see outdoor attractions include the War Eagle monument, commemorating the life of Wambdi Okicize, and the Sergeant Floyd Monument, a soaring obelisk that marks the grave of the only member of the Lewis & Clark expedition to perish on the journey when they stopped here in 1804.
Tips for a Smooth Move to Sioux City
Find a Trustworthy Mover
Moving can be complicated — that’s why it’s critical to find the right moving company for your family. If you’re ready to move to Sioux City, here are some tips on how to research movers.
Working with a trusted, professional moving company like Mayflower can make all the difference. See how we can make your cross-country move seamless and worry-free.
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Consider Moving Full-Service
If you’re making a long-distance move, our full-service packages may be the easiest way to go. Familiarizing yourself with the long-distance moving process ahead of your move can help. Mayflower’s full-service moving packages can be customized to your needs, whether you need help packing and unpacking, shipping your car, storing your belongings or hauling away moving debris. Choosing a reputable, federally licensed long-distance mover like Mayflower can ensure your relocation meets your expectations.
Moving in-state? Mayflower’s interstate Iowa agents/movers can aid you with local moves independently under their businesses and brands.
Get Moving Tips and Resources from the Experts
However, you move, don’t go alone! As America’s Most Trusted Mover, Mayflower has all the moving advice you need to eliminate the stress of relocating. Use our moving checklist and planner to stay organized during your move. Learn how to get settled quickly in your new home. And get even more professional moving advice with Welcome Home magazine. If you’re still on the fence about where to move, check out our state guides and city guides, which highlight the highs and lows of destinations around the U.S.
If you are ready to call Sioux City home, Mayflower will be there for you Every Step of the Way®.
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