Four Stars for Now - It Could Go Either Way
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2/7/2023
I've lived in Sioux Falls for 2 years. I've found it to be a good place to live. The city is not too big, and has an thriving economy. Traffic is not bad, but as the city grows they'll need to work to maintain that - which the city seems cognizant of, as they are working on the roads; widening and working to improve intersections. The roads across the state are generally pretty good considering the harsh winters. The cost of living is agreeable too, although that's on the rise.
Home prices need to come down because currently (early 2023) the prices don't match well with the incomes of residents. The area is growing economically and in population. It remains to be seen if that growth is positive. Many of the new comers are foreigners - from another country. Mid-westerners are not the most cosmopolitan bunch (which is fine), so both they and the immigrants will need to make strides to adapt to the situation. The biggest problem, outside of the rising cost of living, is the rise in crime. These two issues make the area a lot less attractive to live; especially considering the remoteness of the area and the weather.
On the topic of weather, I don't mind the winters. For the northern United States, they're not the worst. The wind is the most challenging to deal with. In all seasons, the wind - to me - makes the biggest difference. In the both the cold and warm months, the wind can make things far less pleasant to be outside. The winds are the strongest around the change of seasons (fall and spring). During these times one worries about storms, hail, and tornadoes. The summers get hotter than one would think for this far north. In less humid years a day in the 90's isn't bad. In humid years, summers can be far less comfortable.
As far as crime goes, from what I can tell it's on the rise. Much of it appears to be from people who come from outside of the city. SF is at the crossroads of two major interstates. The city will need to increase efforts to identify the sources/causes of the increase in crime and efforts to reduce it.
I hear that the schools are just okay. I suspect that private and parochial schools are better than the public schools; and those are much more viable options in a state with low taxes and a relatively low cost of living (again, if housing prices don't re-align with wages this option become less available and the educational outlook dims IMO).
In short, I think the area has a lot going for it. It also faces some significant challenges as it grows. If the city strikes a good balance between the interests of the incoming and existing business interests, existing population - which has made the city a good place to live, and incoming population, then the future is bright. If they focus on growth at the expense of what makes the area nice then it will not be a good place to live anymore.
Jason | Sioux Falls, SD