Sioux City and Cedar Rapids 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
Sioux City
Cedar Rapids
Opportunity
67 · Top 28%
vs55 · Bottom 46%
Growth
38 · Bottom 29%
vs42 · Bottom 35%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 36%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
32 · Bottom 25%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 43%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Sioux City | Cedar Rapids | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 86,101 | 137,264 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,906 | $70,424 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,795 | $41,256 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,456/sq mi | 1,839/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $173,600 | $187,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $976 | $967 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.3% | 68.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.9% | 33.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.3% | 10.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 109 | 394 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -35.1% | -38.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 10°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.3" | 35.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.6 min | 19.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.9 | 37.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 21 | 39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.86 | 15.02 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 58.6% | 55.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 56.2% | 58.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.7% | 49.1% | 2024-25 school 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
Sioux City
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, heat wave.
Cedar Rapids
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Sioux City
65
Your Score
63
Area Score
Cedar Rapids
66
Your Score
64
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Sioux City, IA · Cedar Rapids, IA · How this is calculated: methodology