Appleton vs Sioux Falls
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $231,400 in Appleton and $292,400 in Sioux Falls.
- Households earn more in Appleton ($80,483 vs $75,970 median).
- Sioux Falls is growing faster: +10.9% since 2020 vs -0.3%.
- South Dakota has no state income tax on wages; Wisconsin's top rate is 7.65%.
Side by side
| Appleton, WI | Sioux Falls, SD | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 75,452 | 213,748 |
| Growth since 2020 | -0.3% | +10.9% |
| People per square mile | 2,968 | 2,557 |
| Median age | 37.5 | 35.5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38% | 38% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $80,483 | $75,970 |
| Median home value | $231,400 | $292,400 |
| Home value to income | 2.9× | 3.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,030 | $1,035 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 92.4 | 90.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 70.8 | 77.6 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $69,300 | $68,000 |
| Homeowners | 67% | 60% |
| Top state income tax | 7.65% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 5.72% | 6.11% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 19.3 | 17.0 |
| Work from home | 13% | 11% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.5% | 2.5% |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 9.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 25° / 10° | 27° / 9° |
| July high / low | 82° / 61° | 85° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 33 in | 28 in |
| Snowfall per year | 49 in | 45 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 6 | 15 |
| Nights below freezing | 157 | 162 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Low | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 79.7 | 89.5 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 72% | 81% |
| Home prices, past year | +5.1% | +2.5% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +56.8% | +36.3% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Appleton: May and July to September. Sioux Falls: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Appleton weather by month and Sioux Falls weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $69,300 in Appleton and $68,000 in Sioux Falls. Moving from Appleton to Sioux Falls, you would need about $73,500 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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