Ames vs Sioux City
Ames, Iowa versus Sioux City, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Ames and Sioux City score about the same overall (45 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Ames | Sioux City |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $57k | $64k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $45k |
| Home Value | $248k | $150k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $904 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.51% | 1.66% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.81% | 12.15% |
| Unemployment | 7.1% | 4.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 20°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.5 in | 32.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.3 in | 36.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 194 days | 254 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 90 days | 81 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 43.9 | 60.1 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 86.7 | 44.2 |
| Violent Crime | 717/100k | 1225/100k |
| Property Crime | 1289/100k | 1960/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 66,265 | 85,469 |
| Median Age | 23.0 | 34.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.35 | 0.45 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.16 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | D+18 | R+18 |
| White (%) | 78.3% | 64.0% |
| Black (%) | 3.2% | 5.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.9% | 21.4% |
| Asian (%) | 10.1% | 2.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.5% | 6.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 8.6/20 | 14.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 128 mi | 85 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 71.3% | 83.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 29.73 | 22.58 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ames or Sioux City more affordable?
- Sioux City has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Ames's $46k and Sioux City's $45k. Median rent is $1k in Ames versus $904 in Sioux City.
- Is Ames or Sioux City safer?
- Ames has the lower violent crime rate. Ames reports 717/100k and Sioux City reports 1225/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Ames or Sioux City?
- The median home value is $248k in Ames and $150k in Sioux City, so homes are more affordable in Sioux City.