The Town FilesSioux Center, Iowa
City in Sioux County · population 8,229 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $290,800
- Household income
- $92,983
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 35 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 30.0
Sioux Center is a city of 8,229 people in Sioux County, Iowa. The median home is worth $290,800, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of Iowa towns, better for young professionals than 95% of Iowa towns, hipper than 95% of Iowa towns.
How Sioux Center ranks
Percentile among Iowa towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Iowa towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sioux Center is worth $290,800, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $92,983, which is more affordable than 10% of Iowa towns. 75.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sioux Center | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $290,800 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | — | $820 |
| Median household income | $92,983 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 75.0% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Sioux Center
| People | Sioux Center | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.2% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.4% | — |
| Work from home | 11.8% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 11.7 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.1% | 88.5% |
Weather in Sioux Center
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 9.4°F. About 29.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 34.8 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sioux Center since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 22, 1968 about 6.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 16, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 45 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 7, 1984.
Severe weather in Sioux County since 1996
Sioux County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2019 | Flood | DR-4421: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 20, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4386: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Sioux County
Sioux County had 22,957 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,762 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Sioux Center itself the ACS puts it at 1.2%.
Public schools in Sioux Center
5 public schools with 1,628 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Center High School | 9-12 | 502 | 16.2 |
| Kinsey Elementary School | K-3 | 477 | 11.9 |
| Sioux Center Middle School | 6-8 | 351 | 14.0 |
| Sioux Center Intermediate School | 4-5 | 245 | 15.3 |
| Sioux Center Preschool | PK-PK | 53 | 17.7 |
Towns near Sioux Center
- Orange City, IA7.8 mi · 6,267 people · home $264,000
- Rock Valley, IA10.6 mi · 4,059 people · home $231,200
- Hawarden, IA16.6 mi · 2,700 people · home $136,300
- Sheldon, IA18.0 mi · 5,512 people · home $192,700
- Le Mars, IA20.4 mi · 10,571 people · home $219,200
- Rock Rapids, IA24.3 mi · 2,611 people · home $206,700
- Canton, SD26.1 mi · 3,066 people · home $191,400
Sioux Center questions
Is Sioux Center, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sioux Center scores better for retirees than 48% of Iowa towns and quieter than 3%. 12.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.0).
How much does a house cost in Sioux Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Sioux Center is valued at $290,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $92,983, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Sioux Center?
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 9.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.9 inches of precipitation a year and 34.8 inches of snow.
Does Sioux Center get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sioux Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 22, 1968. The typical Iowa town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)