Blaine vs Sioux Falls
The short version
- Sioux Falls is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 14% lower than in the Blaine area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $292,400 in Sioux Falls and $352,400 in Blaine.
- Households earn more in Blaine ($106,801 vs $75,970 median).
- Sioux Falls has the warmer winter: January highs of 27°F vs 22°F.
- Commutes are shorter in Sioux Falls (17 vs 25 minutes each way).
- South Dakota has no state income tax on wages; Minnesota's top rate is 9.85%.
Side by side
| Blaine, MN | Sioux Falls, SD | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 76,603 | 213,748 |
| Growth since 2020 | +9.1% | +10.9% |
| People per square mile | 2,328 | 2,557 |
| Median age | 37.5 | 35.5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37% | 38% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $106,801 | $75,970 |
| Median home value | $352,400 | $292,400 |
| Home value to income | 3.3× | 3.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,705 | $1,035 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 104.8 | 90.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 111.8 | 77.6 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $78,600 | $68,000 |
| Homeowners | 85% | 60% |
| Top state income tax | 9.85% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 8.14% | 6.11% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 24.5 | 17.0 |
| Work from home | 21% | 11% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.2% | 2.5% |
| Poverty rate | 7.2% | 9.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 22° / 2° | 27° / 9° |
| July high / low | 82° / 60° | 85° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 29 in | 28 in |
| Snowfall per year | 44 in | 45 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 10 | 15 |
| Nights below freezing | 172 | 162 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 88.0 | 89.5 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 55% | 81% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.6% | +2.5% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +27.3% | +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: Blaine: May to September. Sioux Falls: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Blaine 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 $78,600 in Blaine and $68,000 in Sioux Falls. Moving from Blaine to Sioux Falls, you would need about $64,800 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Blaine and Sioux Falls
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Blaine and Sioux Falls.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.