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Sioux Falls, South Dakota
On the Great Plains of Southeastern South Dakota, Sioux Falls is Well-Managed, Clean and Safe with a Nice Downtown and Lots of Amenities
On the Great Plains of southeastern South Dakota, clean, safe, friendly Sioux Falls, known as Sufu by locals, receives good reviews. It sits along Interstate 90, Interstate 29 and the Big Sioux River and has grown by 20% within the last decade.
Much of this growth has come in the form of white collar workers who have relocated with major financial companies, including Wells Fargo and Citibank. These businesses have chosen to base their activities in South Dakota because the state does not have a corporate income tax. Thanks to this robust financial sector, the city has a healthy economy, and it is well-managed. Residents enjoy more than 70 parks and green spaces, including beautiful Falls Park, which has waterfalls and walking pathways. Green spaces also line much of the river. The well-kept, inviting downtown has short and tall, red and blond brick buildings that house offices, restaurants, banks, coffee shops, bookstores, craft breweries, galleries, design stores, courtyard cafes, the main library and more.
The Old Courthouse Museum, the Pettigrew Home, the Museum and Center for Western Studies at Augustana College and the Great Plains Zoo and Delbridge Museum of Natural History are open year round.
City events include the Artist of the Plains Show, downtown's First Fridays, a Sculpture Walk, the popular Empire Fair, the Jazz and Blues Fest and car shows. Husby Performing Arts Center hosts the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra and professional theater performances.
Empire Mall has 180 stores, including J.C. Penney, Macy's and Sears. The city has a handful of golf courses, too.
Neighborhoods are quiet, laid out on grids and contain mostly ranch ramblers and raised ranch ramblers.
Population: 203,000 (city proper)
Age 45 or Better: 35%
Cost of Living: 8% below the national average
Median Home Price: $365,000
Climate: Summer temperatures are in the 70s and 80s, and winter temperatures are in the single digits, teens and 20s. On average, the area receives 24 inches of rain and 45 inches of snow annually.
At Least One Hospital Accepts Medicare Patients? Yes
At Least One Hospital Accredited by the Joint Commission? Yes. The city has four very good hospitals. It also has a VA hospital.
Public Transit: Yes, and Sioux Falls Regional Airport is served by five airlines.
Crime Rate: Meets the national average
Public Library: Yes, and it has five locations.
Political Leanings: Slightly conservative
College Educated: 34%
Is South Dakota Considered Tax Friendly for Retirement? Yes
Cons: The Big Sioux flooded parts of the city in 2019. It could happen again.
Notes: Home prices have increased 4% since last year.
Recommended as a Retirement Spot? Yes
South Dakota:
Fort Pierre, a way station on the Lewis and Clark expedition, became the territory's first white settlement in 1804. Tensions between the new Americans and the native Sioux broiled throughout the 1800s and became intense after gold was found in the Black Hills. South Dakota still has one of the highest populations of Native Americans with nine official tribes living within its borders. It entered the Union on November 2, 1889.
South Dakota sweeps through three major geographic regions. The eastern portion of the Mount Rushmore State has a lower elevation and higher precipitation rate than the western portion or the Black Hills. Other areas of geologic interest include the Dissected Till Plains and the Badlands.
The state enjoys four distinct seasons. Winters can be cold and dry while summers may be hot and semi-humid. Severe summer storms are a possibility. Eastern South Dakota is considered part of Tornado Alley.
Tourism is the state's biggest economic driver. The Black Hills is home to two historical monuments - Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial. Deadwood, the former 1875 gold rush town, draws visitors with its limited gambling and its proximity to the Black Hills National Forest. Clark is South Dakota's potato capitol and home to a long-running mashed potato wrestling contest. Sioux Falls and Augustana University offer a rich menu of theater, music, and art galleries.
Beef and honey are leading agricultural products. Pockets of gold still exist, but granite is now more important to the state's coffers.
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