Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Today 14,158 people live in this town, first settled in 1887.
Where it falls short is schools: its schools rank behind 84% of the state's. South Sioux City ranks 54th of 57 in Nebraska, with a C− overall. That leaves it better than 18% of U.S. towns. Homes run about $235K for a typical one, 3.1 times the Sioux City metro’s $75K median household income. Its strongest subject is walkability (A): it is more walkable than 88% of U.S. towns. A third of residents are under 18 here, above both the Nebraska town median (24%) and the median of U.S. towns (22%). Only 5 of Nebraska’s 127 towns score lower on civic life. Meisch House is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Figures: schools, state test and graduation results · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · National Register of Historic Places.
Where South Sioux City beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Nebraska), ordered by how far South Sioux City is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 603 in 1890, 14,043 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1956 and 2 maps from 1976 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in South Sioux City, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in South Sioux City.
South Sioux City sends many workers across the state line to North Sioux City and is safe by national standards but not by Nebraska’s.
The public schools here belong to the So Sioux City Community Schs school district. Below: Two of its 8 schools, each with why it was picked. Public school enrollment in South Sioux City: 2,194 students across 5 schools.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Sioux City Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 781 | C+ |
| South Sioux High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,193 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NE on state tests and graduation
At 31.3 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 86% of Nebraska’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 378 to 294 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Only 3 of the 45 Nebraska towns we compare have a higher rate of thefts and burglaries than South Sioux City. The town’s violent crime rate comes in at 1.7 per 1,000 residents.
| South Sioux City | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 19.5 per 1,000 residents | 7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.7 per 1,000 residents | 1 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Among 57 Nebraska towns, just 4 have a lower midsummer high than South Sioux City. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 10° and about 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
30% of working residents cross a state line to work, North Sioux City among the top destinations. South Sioux City has about as many jobs (6,878) as working residents, but only 1,177 people both live and work here.
The top destinations are Sioux City (26%), Omaha (4%) and Dakota City (4%). Most working residents leave South Sioux City for work: only 17% work in town. Jobs based in South Sioux City grew to 6,878 in 2023, 676 more than in 2013. The average commute in the town is 12 minutes.
| South Sioux City | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 12 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 17% | 35% | 8% |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 5.6% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 11% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Zillow values the typical South Sioux City home at about $235,000, up 5% in a year, 16% below the Nebraska typical home. The share of households in South Sioux City who are owner-occupiers: 56%. Also worth knowing: a home in South Sioux City typically sold within 17 days of listing.
| South Sioux City | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 56% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,127 a month | $907 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
South Sioux City: 16% of adults have been diagnosed with depression. Only 4 of the 57 Nebraska towns we compare have a higher share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than South Sioux City.
| South Sioux City | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 9.7% | 8.1% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 18% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 39% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 28% | 25% |
| What stands out | South Sioux City | NE |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.8% | 8.3% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 19.7% | 24% |
| More uninsured adults | 19.9% | 9.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0.9 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Crystal Cove Park, at 117 acres. For South Sioux City, the trail network density is 0.1 miles per square mile.
| South Sioux City | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 5.7% | 3.6% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Crystal Cove Park | — | 117 |
| 2. Jeffrey Dibble Sports Complex | 0.1 mi | 116 |
| 3. Scenic Park | — | 58 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Federal aid has come to South Sioux City households in 5 declared disasters; the latest was in 2024. FEMA expects more storm and flood damage in the town than in 55% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, South Sioux City has seen 20 flood insurance claims paid out. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 40% come from tornadoes and 33% from inland flooding.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
4 within 15 miles of the center of South Sioux City
About 3 of every 100 South Sioux City residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
City in Dakota County, Nebraska, United States
South Sioux City is a city in Dakota County, Nebraska, United States. It is located immediately across the Missouri River from Sioux City, Iowa, and is part of the Sioux City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 14,043, making it the 14th most populous city in Nebraska.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with South Sioux City.
| Town | NE rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Sioux City | #54 | C− | B− | C | C− | C+ |
| Dakota City | — | — | A− | — | C− | B− |
Dakota City has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Dakota City reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare South Sioux City with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
South Sioux City grades C− overall, better than 18% of U.S. towns and #54 of 57 in Nebraska. It grades C+ for health, C for safety and C− for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a C−.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.