Performance
Score Breakdown
Sioux Falls
New York City
Livability
Affordability
Business
Growth
Expenses
Cost of Living
Sioux Falls is the more affordable option overall — monthly living expenses run approximately
50% lower compared to New York City.
Housing costs are a major driver: Sioux Falls's average rent is
61% lower than New York City's.
| Metric | Sioux Falls | New York City | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Rent | $1,327 | $3,382 | -61% |
| Groceries | $400 | $520 | -23% |
| Utilities | $248 | $370 | -33% |
| Transport | $120 | $130 | -8% |
| Healthcare | $250 | $250 | 0% |
| Monthly Total | $2,345 | $4,652 | -50% |
| Cost Index | 88 | 178 | out of 100 |
Income
Salary & Income
New York City offers 41% lower average salaries.
However, when adjusted for local cost of living, Sioux Falls delivers stronger purchasing power —
meaning your dollar stretches further day-to-day.
The minimum comfortable salary in Sioux Falls is estimated at
$61,000 vs $61,000 in New York City.
| Metric | Sioux Falls | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Average Salary | $60,000 | $100,877 |
| Salary Needed | $61,000 | $61,000 |
| Purchasing Power | 68,182 idx | 56,672 idx |
| Household Income | $75,970 | $80,483 |
Weather
Climate Comparison
Both cities share a similar average temperature, within 0°F of each other.
| Metric | Sioux Falls | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | °F | °F |
| Summer High | °F | °F |
| Winter Low | °F | °F |
| Rainfall | in | in |
| Snowfall | in | in |
| Sunny Days | ||
| Humidity | 69.00% | 63.00% |
Mobility
Commute & Transport
Sioux Falls has the shorter commute — saving residents roughly
12,500 minutes (208 hours) per year compared to New York City.
New York City scores higher for public transit, making it the better choice for car-free living.
For walkability, New York City leads — a better score here means more amenities reachable on foot.
| Metric | Sioux Falls | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Commute Time | 18 min | 43 min |
| Transit Score | 34.0/10 | 88.0/10 |
| Walkability | 38.0/10 | 89.0/10 |
| Traffic Index | 45.00 | 167.60 |
| Car Dependency | Medium | Low |
Population
Economy & Demographics
New York City is the larger city
.
From a growth perspective, Sioux Falls is expanding faster, signaling stronger demand for housing, jobs, and services.
On the employment side, Sioux Falls has a lower unemployment rate, reflecting a tighter and more competitive job market.
| Metric | Sioux Falls | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 224,676 | 8,585,000 |
| Pop. Growth | 2.30% | % |
| Median Age | 35.5 | 38.2 |
| Unemployment | 2.00% | 4.90% |
| GDP | $0.0B | $1,354.0B |
At a Glance
Pros & Cons
Sioux Falls
Advantages
Violent crime per capita reached a five-year low in 2025, and property crime decreased by 26% from 2024 to 2025.
The cost of living in Sioux Falls is approximately 12.5% lower than the national average, with housing costs being 24.1% cheaper.
Sioux Falls was ranked the third-least-stressed city in America for 2025.
The unemployment rate in Sioux Falls was 2.00% in June 2026, significantly lower than the national average.
Sanford USD Medical Center was ranked the #1 hospital in South Dakota for 2024-2025 and recognized among the World's Best Hospitals.
Drawbacks
Despite overall crime decreases, the city's safety grade was D in 2024, with a violent crime rate of 526.7 per 100K residents.
The city has minimal public transportation options and a low walkability score of 38, indicating high car dependency for most errands.
Healthcare costs are slightly higher than the national average, at 3.9% more.
While overall job growth is strong, the Sioux Falls area gained an average of only 50 jobs per month in 2025, which was the lowest since 2025 (excluding pandemic years).
Average home care costs are high, with in-home support listed at $8,389 per month in 2024.
New York City
Advantages
New York City is the most linguistically diverse city globally, with an estimated 800 languages spoken.
The city boasts a world-class public transportation system, with a transit score of 88 and a walkability score of 89.
New York City's private sector employment reached a record high of 4.25 million jobs in December 2024.
Overall index crime in New York City saw a nearly 3% reduction in 2024, marking the second consecutive year of declines.
New York City is a global hub for finance, media, tech, healthcare, and tourism, offering unparalleled opportunities.
Drawbacks
The cost of living in New York City is 78% higher than the national average, making it one of the most expensive cities globally.
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Manhattan reached $4,595 in April 2024.
The city experienced a population decline of 12,000 residents between June 2024 and July 2025.
New York City has a high traffic index of 167.6 and an average commute time of 43.34 minutes.
Housing affordability has reached a crisis due to high costs and a slow pace of new housing construction.
Explore
Dive Deeper
Key figures side by side — see which city wins each category at a glance.
Sioux Falls
#5South Dakota, USA
78.0 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$1,327
Avg Salary
$60,000
Cost Index
88
Commute
18 min
Transit Score
34.0/10
Walkability
38.0/10
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
2.30%
Unemployment
2.00%
Livability
82
Business
80
New York City
#68New York, USA
68.0 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$3,382
Avg Salary
$100,877
Cost Index
178
Commute
43 min
Transit Score
88.0/10
Walkability
89.0/10
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
%
Unemployment
4.90%
Livability
70
Business
62
Calculate Your Cost Impact
Estimate the salary you'd need when moving between Sioux Falls and New York City.
Open Cost Calculator