Cost of living answer

Cost of Living in Sioux City, IA

Cost of Living in Sioux City, IA has an overall index of 75, 25% below the U.S. baseline of 100. The typical home value is $162,600; typical monthly rent is $936; and median household income is $65,473.

Cost index: committed city housing/rent inputs and BEA 2024 metro-area price parities. Home value: Census ACS 2023 fallback place estimate. Rent: Census ACS 2023 fallback place estimate. A place-level signal, not a personal affordability decision or financial recommendation.

Cost vs U.S.25% belowOverall modeled index 75
Typical rent$936/moCensus ACS
Typical home value$162,600Census ACS
Median household income$65,473Census ACS place estimate
Market PressureLower

Rent and home prices are comparatively balanced with local income. This describes the local market, not your household.

Rent pressure
17%
Typical annual rent divided by local median household income.
Buy pressure
2.5x
Typical home value divided by local median household income.
Your Household Fit

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Advanced assumptions
Initial rent input: $936 from ACS. Edit it to match the housing option you are considering.
Mortgage benchmark: 6.11% 30-year fixed, Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey via FRED, as of 2026-03-12. Not a lender quote or approval.
Property-tax input: State-level effective owner-occupied property-tax proxy Not a parcel or individual tax-bill estimate.

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City details

Inspect the numbers when you need them.

Overall cost index75100 = U.S. baseline
Goods946% below baseline
Services937% below baseline
Utilities8317% below baseline
Frequently asked questions about Sioux City

Living in Sioux City

Is Sioux City, IA an affordable place to live?+

Yes — everyday expenses in Sioux City run about 25% below the US average (Cost Index: 75). Housing is especially affordable: the median home is valued around $162,600, compared to the $303,400 national median. Monthly rent is $936, versus $1,348 nationally.

How does Sioux City fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $936, while local median household income is $65,473. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 17% before utilities and other costs. Use that as a planning signal for whether the place looks manageable under your own household assumptions.

How much are taxes in Sioux City, IA?+

Iowa uses an approximate state-income-tax planning model; 5.7% is top marginal-rate context from the tax snapshot. Applying the 1.57% state-level effective owner-occupied proxy to a home worth $162,600 gives a planning estimate near $2,553 per year; it is not a city, county, parcel, or individual tax bill. State plus average local sales-tax context is around 6.94%.

How much does it cost to rent in Sioux City, IA?+

The typical monthly rent in Sioux City is around $936. That's roughly 31% lower than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $162,600, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Sioux City, IA?+

The typical home value in Sioux City is $162,600. With 20% down and the committed 6.11% national 30-year fixed benchmark as of 2026-03-12, principal and interest are roughly $789/month before property tax and insurance. This is a planning estimate, not a local lender quote. About 66% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Sioux City?+

Grocery prices in Sioux City are more affordable compared to the rest of the US (index: 94, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are below average (index: 83). Both help keep your monthly expenses lower than in many parts of the country.

What is Sioux City, IA like to live in?+

Sioux City is a smaller city with a population of about 85,651. The median age of residents is 35.4, which is close to the national median. The local poverty rate is 14.63%, near the national average of 12.4%.