Des Moines vs Sioux Falls
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $194,700 in Des Moines and $292,400 in Sioux Falls.
- Households earn more in Sioux Falls ($75,970 vs $65,932 median).
- Sioux Falls gets far more snow: 45 inches a year vs 37.
- Sioux Falls is growing faster: +10.9% since 2020 vs -0.9%.
- South Dakota has no state income tax on wages; Iowa's top rate is 3.8%.
Side by side
| Des Moines, IA | Sioux Falls, SD | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 212,086 | 213,748 |
| Growth since 2020 | -0.9% | +10.9% |
| People per square mile | 2,406 | 2,557 |
| Median age | 34.6 | 35.5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30% | 38% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $65,932 | $75,970 |
| Median home value | $194,700 | $292,400 |
| Home value to income | 3.0× | 3.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,090 | $1,035 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 91.7 | 90.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 84.7 | 77.6 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $68,800 | $68,000 |
| Homeowners | 61% | 60% |
| Top state income tax | 3.8% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 6.94% | 6.11% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 19.5 | 17.0 |
| Work from home | 13% | 11% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.6% | 2.5% |
| Poverty rate | 15% | 9.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 31° / 14° | 27° / 9° |
| July high / low | 86° / 66° | 85° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 37 in | 28 in |
| Snowfall per year | 37 in | 45 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 22 | 15 |
| Nights below freezing | 128 | 162 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 92.0 | 89.5 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 61% | 81% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.3% | +2.5% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +35.2% | +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: Des Moines: July to October. Sioux Falls: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Des Moines 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 $68,800 in Des Moines and $68,000 in Sioux Falls. Moving from Des Moines to Sioux Falls, you would need about $74,100 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Des Moines 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 Des Moines and Sioux Falls.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.