City Comparison
Sioux Falls vs Alliance
Cost of living, salaries, climate and quality of life compared side by side.
VS
Sioux Falls scores higher overall
Performance
Score Breakdown
Sioux Falls
Alliance
Livability
Affordability
Business
Growth
Expenses
Cost of Living
Alliance is the more affordable option overall — monthly living expenses run about
30% lower than in Sioux Falls.
Housing costs are a major driver: Sioux Falls's average rent is
105% higher than Alliance's.
| Metric | Sioux Falls | Alliance | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Rent | $1,327 | $647 | +105% |
| Groceries | $400 | $450 | -11% |
| Utilities | $248 | $180 | +38% |
| Transport | $120 | $120 | 0% |
| Healthcare | $250 | $250 | 0% |
| Monthly Total | $2,345 | $1,647 | +42% |
| Cost Index | 88 | 90 | out of 100 |
Income
Salary & Income
Alliance offers 8% lower average salaries.
However, when adjusted for local cost of living, Alliance delivers stronger purchasing power —
meaning your dollar stretches further day-to-day.
The minimum comfortable salary in Sioux Falls is estimated at
$61,000 vs $55,000 in Alliance.
| Metric | Sioux Falls | Alliance |
|---|---|---|
| Average Salary | $60,000 | $65,160 |
| Salary Needed | $61,000 | $55,000 |
| Purchasing Power | 68,182 idx | 72,400 idx |
| Household Income | $75,970 | $65,160 |
Weather
Climate Comparison
Both cities share a similar average temperature, within 0°F of each other.
| Metric | Sioux Falls | Alliance |
|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | °F | °F |
| Summer High | °F | °F |
| Winter Low | °F | °F |
| Rainfall | in | in |
| Snowfall | in | in |
| Sunny Days | ||
| Humidity | 69.00% | 65.00% |
Mobility
Commute & Transport
Alliance has the shorter commute — saving residents roughly
3,500 minutes (58 hours) per year compared to Sioux Falls.
Sioux Falls scores higher for public transit, making it the better choice for car-free living.
For walkability, Sioux Falls leads — a better score here means more amenities reachable on foot.
| Metric | Sioux Falls | Alliance |
|---|---|---|
| Commute Time | 18 min | 11 min |
| Transit Score | 34.0/100 | 14.0/100 |
| Walkability | 38.0/100 | — |
| Traffic Index | 45.00 | 45.00 |
| Car Dependency | Medium | High |
Population
Economy & Demographics
Sioux Falls is the larger city
— approximately 27.8x the population of Alliance.
From a growth perspective, Sioux Falls is expanding faster, signaling stronger demand for housing, jobs, and services.
On the employment side, Sioux Falls has a lower unemployment rate, reflecting a tighter and more competitive job market.
| Metric | Sioux Falls | Alliance |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 224,676 | 8,075 |
| Pop. Growth | 2.30% | — |
| Median Age | 35.5 | 40.8 |
| Unemployment | 2.00% | 4.10% |
| GDP | — | — |
At a Glance
Pros & Cons
Sioux Falls
Advantages
Violent crime per capita reached a five-year low in 2025, and property crime decreased by 26% from 2024 to 2025.
The cost of living in Sioux Falls is approximately 12.5% lower than the national average, with housing costs being 24.1% cheaper.
Sioux Falls was ranked the third-least-stressed city in America for 2025.
The unemployment rate in Sioux Falls was 2.00% in June 2026, significantly lower than the national average.
Sanford USD Medical Center was ranked the #1 hospital in South Dakota for 2024-2025 and recognized among the World's Best Hospitals.
Drawbacks
Despite overall crime decreases, the city's safety grade was D in 2024, with a violent crime rate of 526.7 per 100K residents.
The city has minimal public transportation options and a low walkability score of 38, indicating high car dependency for most errands.
Healthcare costs are slightly higher than the national average, at 3.9% more.
While overall job growth is strong, the Sioux Falls area gained an average of only 50 jobs per month in 2025, which was the lowest since 2025 (excluding pandemic years).
Average home care costs are high, with in-home support listed at $8,389 per month in 2024.
Alliance
Advantages
Cost of living is 9% lower than the national average, with housing costs being 30% lower.
Violent crime rate is significantly lower than the national average, with 0 reported murders in 2024.
High homeownership rate of 75.2%.
Short average commute time of 10.6 minutes.
The Health Care & Social Assistance sector is a major employer in the city.
Drawbacks
Population has been declining slightly in recent years.
Walkability and transit scores are very low, indicating high car dependency.
Limited retail options within the city, requiring travel to nearby Scottsbluff for more extensive shopping.
The overall climate risk is rated as 'Relatively High'.
Drug activity is noted as a concern within the community.
Explore
Dive Deeper
Key figures side by side — see which city wins each category at a glance.
Sioux Falls
#27South Dakota, USA
72.2 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$1,327
Avg Salary
$60,000
Cost Index
88
Commute
18 min
Transit Score
34.0/100
Walkability
38.0/100
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
2.30%
Unemployment
2.00%
Livability
82
Business
80
Alliance
#193Nebraska, USA
64.0 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$647
Avg Salary
$65,160
Cost Index
90
Commute
11 min
Transit Score
14.0/100
Walkability
—
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
%
Unemployment
4.10%
Livability
74
Business
68
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