The Town FilesSioux Falls, South Dakota
City in Minnehaha County · population 192,517 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $292,400
- Household income
- $75,970
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 45 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 32
- Median age
- 35.5
Sioux Falls is a city of 192,517 people in Minnehaha County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $292,400, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks more vibrant than 100% of South Dakota towns, more walkable than 99% of South Dakota towns, better transit than 90% of South Dakota towns.
How Sioux Falls ranks
Percentile among South Dakota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of South Dakota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sioux Falls is worth $292,400, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $75,970, which is more affordable than 14% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $1,035 a month. 59.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sioux Falls | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $292,400 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $1,035 | $785 |
| Median household income | $75,970 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 59.5% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Sioux Falls
| People | Sioux Falls | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.5 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.1% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.1% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.6% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.7% | — |
| Work from home | 10.6% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.4% | 86.7% |
Weather in Sioux Falls
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 7.4°F. About 28.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.3 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 154 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sioux Falls since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 19, 1954 about 4.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 30, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 231 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on August 5, 2021.
Severe weather in Minnehaha County since 1996
Minnehaha County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4807: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| June 29, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4656: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3475: Covid-19 |
| November 18, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4469: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Minnehaha County
Minnehaha County had 138,556 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,100 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Sioux Falls itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Sioux Falls
63 public schools with 29,041 students, about 15.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School - 02 | 9-12 | 1,934 | 16.4 |
| Washington High School - 01 | 9-12 | 1,859 | 15.1 |
| Jefferson High School - 67 | 9-12 | 1,840 | 16.7 |
| Roosevelt High School - 03 | 9-12 | 1,776 | 16.6 |
| Memorial Middle School - 04 | 6-8 | 1,138 | 16.7 |
| Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 | 6-8 | 959 | 14.1 |
| Patrick Henry Middle School - 07 | 6-8 | 953 | 16.2 |
| Edison Middle School - 06 | 6-8 | 943 | 15.5 |
| RF Pettigrew Elementary - 17 | PK-5 | 910 | 18.6 |
| Discovery Elementary - 26 | PK-5 | 867 | 17.7 |
| George McGovern Middle School -09 | 6-8 | 747 | 13.3 |
| Whittier Middle School - 08 | 6-8 | 716 | 13.0 |
Towns near Sioux Falls
- Harrisburg, SD7.4 mi · 6,732 people · home $312,200
- Tea, SD7.5 mi · 5,598 people · home $351,100
- Brandon, SD8.2 mi · 11,048 people · home $336,600
- Hartford, SD11.6 mi · 3,354 people · home $257,700
- Canton, SD18.0 mi · 3,066 people · home $191,400
- Dell Rapids, SD19.7 mi · 3,996 people · home $301,700
- Luverne, MN27.1 mi · 4,946 people · home $208,000
- Rock Rapids, IA29.4 mi · 2,611 people · home $206,700
Sioux Falls questions
Is Sioux Falls, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sioux Falls scores better for retirees than 6% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 1%. 14.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.5).
How much does a house cost in Sioux Falls?
The median owner-occupied home in Sioux Falls is valued at $292,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,970, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,035 a month.
What is the weather like in Sioux Falls?
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 7.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.3 inches of precipitation a year and 45.3 inches of snow.
Does Sioux Falls get tornadoes?
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sioux Falls since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 19, 1954. The typical South Dakota town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)