Midland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Midland
Sioux City
Opportunity
82 · Top 6%
vs68 · Top 26%
Growth
68 · Top 23%
vs61 · Top 32%
Climate
63 · Bottom 39%
vs56 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 45%
vs57 · Top 48%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 45%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
93 · Top 19%
vs97 · Top 12%
Economic stability
84 · Top 9%
vs80 · Top 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Midland | Sioux City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 180,019 | 144,682 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,952 | $75,192 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,552 | $37,232 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 99/sq mi | 91/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $309,400 | $193,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,400 | $1,002 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.9% | 68.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.0% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.7% | 24.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.3% | 12.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 917 | 467 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.1 | 3.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -41.9% | 37.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 10°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.5" | 29.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 18.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.9 | 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
Midland
Elevated or high exposure: hail, wildfire, drought.
Sioux City
Elevated or high exposure: heat wave, strong wind.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Midland
78
Your Score
75
Area Score
Sioux City
74
Your Score
70
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Midland, TX Metro Area · Sioux City, IA-NE-SD Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology