Fargo and Sioux City receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Fargo | Sioux City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 259,459 | 144,682 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,756 | $75,192 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,190 | $37,232 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 92/sq mi | 91/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $289,100 | $193,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $967 | $1,002 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.3% | 68.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.8% | 24.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.6% | 12.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,268 | 467 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 3.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.1% | 37.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 0°F | 10°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.0" | 29.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 18.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.0 | 36.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Fargo
Elevated or high exposure: winter weather, strong wind, hail.
Sioux City
Elevated or high exposure: heat wave, strong wind.
Your best match
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Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fargo, ND-MN Metro Area · Sioux City, IA-NE-SD Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology