Performance
Score Breakdown
Aberdeen
Sioux Falls
Livability
Affordability
Business
Growth
Expenses
Cost of Living
Aberdeen is the more affordable option overall — monthly living expenses run approximately
1% lower compared to Sioux Falls.
| Metric | Aberdeen | Sioux Falls | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Rent | $1,250 | $1,327 | -6% |
| Groceries | $388 | $400 | -3% |
| Utilities | $288 | $248 | +16% |
| Transport | $80 | $120 | -33% |
| Healthcare | $305 | $250 | +22% |
| Monthly Total | $2,311 | $2,345 | -1% |
| Cost Index | 82 | 88 | out of 100 |
Income
Salary & Income
Sioux Falls offers 35% lower average salaries.
However, when adjusted for local cost of living, Sioux Falls delivers stronger purchasing power —
meaning your dollar stretches further day-to-day.
The minimum comfortable salary in Aberdeen is estimated at
$50,000 vs $61,000 in Sioux Falls.
| Metric | Aberdeen | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Average Salary | $38,861 | $60,000 |
| Salary Needed | $50,000 | $61,000 |
| Purchasing Power | 47,391 idx | 68,182 idx |
| Household Income | $64,405 | $75,970 |
Weather
Climate Comparison
Both cities share a similar average temperature, within 0°F of each other.
| Metric | Aberdeen | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | °F | °F |
| Summer High | °F | °F |
| Winter Low | °F | °F |
| Rainfall | in | in |
| Snowfall | in | in |
| Sunny Days | ||
| Humidity | 65.00% | 69.00% |
Mobility
Commute & Transport
Aberdeen 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, Aberdeen leads — a better score here means more amenities reachable on foot.
| Metric | Aberdeen | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Commute Time | 11 min | 18 min |
| Transit Score | 20.0/10 | 34.0/10 |
| Walkability | 39.0/10 | 38.0/10 |
| Traffic Index | 45.00 | |
| Car Dependency | High | Medium |
Population
Economy & Demographics
Sioux Falls is the larger city
— approximately 0.1x the population of Aberdeen.
From a growth perspective, Sioux Falls is expanding faster, signaling stronger demand for housing, jobs, and services.
On the employment side, Aberdeen has a lower unemployment rate, reflecting a tighter and more competitive job market.
| Metric | Aberdeen | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,376 | 224,676 |
| Pop. Growth | 0.97% | 2.30% |
| Median Age | 36.4 | 35.5 |
| Unemployment | 1.70% | 2.00% |
| GDP | $0.0B | $0.0B |
At a Glance
Pros & Cons
Aberdeen
Advantages
Aberdeen boasts a significantly low unemployment rate of 1.7% in 2026, well below the national average, indicating a robust job market.
The cost of living in Aberdeen is 18% less expensive than the national average, particularly in housing, making it highly affordable.
Residents enjoy a remarkably short average commute time of 11 minutes, significantly reducing daily travel stress.
Aberdeen serves as a regional healthcare hub with three hospitals and a wide range of medical specialties, ensuring quality healthcare access.
The city has a high livability score of 80 out of 100, reflecting a good quality of life with ample amenities and a strong community feel.
Drawbacks
Crime data for Aberdeen is conflicting, with some sources indicating a higher violent crime rate than the average U.S. city and a lower safety percentile.
Public transportation options are limited to a demand-response bus service, with very low utilization among workers, leading to high car dependency.
Aberdeen experiences very cold, snowy, and windy winters with average low temperatures reaching 6°F in January.
Despite some positive projections, population growth rates are inconsistent across sources, with some indicating stagnation or decline in recent years.
The average rent in Aberdeen has seen a significant increase of 52.9% in the past year, potentially impacting affordability for new renters.
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.
Explore
Dive Deeper
Key figures side by side — see which city wins each category at a glance.
Aberdeen
#64South Dakota, USA
68.0 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$1,250
Avg Salary
$38,861
Cost Index
82
Commute
11 min
Transit Score
20.0/10
Walkability
39.0/10
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
0.97%
Unemployment
1.70%
Livability
80
Business
65
Sioux Falls
#5South Dakota, USA
78.0 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$1,327
Avg Salary
$60,000
Cost Index
88
Commute
18 min
Transit Score
34.0/10
Walkability
38.0/10
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
2.30%
Unemployment
2.00%
Livability
82
Business
80
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