Jobs, pay and daily life in North Sioux City, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
North Sioux City is a city in South Dakota with 3,045 residents. The median household earns $71,908 a year and the median rent is $1,098 a month, which is 18.3% of the median household income. It is part of the Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metropolitan area, where BLS counts 75,010 jobs.
How North Sioux City compares. Among the 30 largest places in South Dakota, North Sioux City is #25 by population, #30 for remote work (#1 = most), #3 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #27 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Union County, is #1 of 66 counties for average pay ($73,276).
North Sioux City has 3,045 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of South Dakota. It covers 3 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 913 people per square mile. The median age is 36.6, 4% younger than the state median (36.6 against 38.0).
The median gross rent is $1,098 a month (rent plus utilities), 16% above the state median ($1,098 against $946). Over a year that is 18.3% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $269,800, which is 3.8 times the median household income ($71,908); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 49.5% of households own their home, 28% below the state average (49.5% against 68.6%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metropolitan area has 75,010 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,030 a year, 8% below the national median ($47,030 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (10,820 jobs, median $47,150); transportation and material moving (9,140 jobs, median $43,590); office and administrative support (7,130 jobs, median $45,360). The area is most specialised in production (2.6 times) and transportation and material moving (1.4 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($47,150) and office and administrative support ($45,360). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Union County was 1.8%. 66.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Union County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 90.8% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 0.0% walk, 0.8% work from home. 1.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 73% below the state average (1.8% against 6.6%).
25.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 19% below the state share (25.8% against 31.9%). 5.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 32% above the state share (5.2% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 11.0%, 8% below the state rate (11.0% against 11.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 77°F (25.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 20°F (-6.5°C). About 749 mm (29 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (112 mm) and Jan the driest (16 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Dakota Dunes (3 miles, rent 12% higher); Sioux City (6 miles, rent 11% lower); South Sioux City (7 miles, similar rent); Le Mars (24 miles, rent 15% lower). Rent differences are against North Sioux City; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in South Dakota (285) →State guide: South DakotaCountry guideUnion CountySouth Dakota rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 285 federal postings open in South Dakota (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in South Dakota →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 2,820 | 2.84 | $51,540 | $38,450 | $79,320 | -12% |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,220 | 1.18 | $30,150 | $24,180 | $45,770 | -15% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,060 | 1.11 | $29,090 | $22,410 | $35,870 | -7% |
| Cashiers | 1,700 | 1.14 | $29,470 | $25,190 | $36,290 | -10% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,660 | 1.17 | $42,790 | $30,450 | $50,960 | +6% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,600 | 0.98 | $75,840 | $62,270 | $96,440 | -22% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,330 | 0.97 | $35,660 | $28,350 | $48,530 | -4% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,250 | 0.74 | $90,230 | $42,370 | $206,200 | -15% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,230 | 0.59 | $36,580 | $29,830 | $45,610 | +2% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,120 | 1.05 | $37,090 | $29,020 | $47,850 | +1% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,110 | 0.89 | $41,010 | $29,960 | $58,360 | -8% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,030 | 0.94 | $26,430 | $15,080 | $49,790 | -25% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 990 | 1.44 | $30,880 | $23,240 | $37,310 | -16% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 980 | 1.32 | $57,470 | $39,110 | $66,840 | +16% |
| Nursing Assistants | 930 | 1.33 | $38,940 | $36,410 | $48,090 | -8% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 890 | 1.33 | $62,270 | $46,820 | $78,900 | -3% |
| Office Clerks, General | 820 | 0.69 | $44,060 | $29,710 | $60,880 | -2% |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 810 | 4.43 | $43,700 | $38,810 | $49,070 | +1% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 780 | 1.31 | $73,500 | $44,220 | $133,020 | +2% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 690 | 1.05 | $47,390 | $34,630 | $61,450 | -6% |
These figures are for the whole Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,030 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.3% |
| Manufacturing | 20.4% |
| Retail trade | 13.8% |
| Construction | 11.0% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 5.1% |
| Public administration | 4.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.9% |
| Other services | 3.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.8% |
| Information | 2.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 1.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where North Sioux City lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | 17,081 | $2,261 million | $132,391 | 9,633 | 878 | $73,276 | -3.2% | 1.8% | 8,975 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,230 | 26.1% | $75,782 | 2.82 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,296 | 15.2% | $75,809 | 0.94 |
| Professional and technical services | 809 | 9.5% | $113,003 | 1.21 |
| Finance and insurance | 654 | 7.7% | $91,354 | 1.67 |
| Accommodation and food services | 603 | 7.1% | $21,628 | 0.69 |
| Retail trade | 587 | 6.9% | $48,641 | 0.61 |
| Construction | 467 | 5.5% | $76,476 | 0.92 |
| Wholesale trade | 467 | 5.5% | $99,093 | 1.23 |
| Administrative and waste services | 440 | 5.2% | $75,568 | 0.78 |
| Management of companies | 303 | 3.5% | $173,688 | 1.87 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 215 | 2.5% | $23,682 | 1.33 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 213 | 2.5% | $40,923 | 0.73 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 86 | 1.0% | $57,377 | 1.10 |
| Real estate and rental | 64 | 0.7% | $46,988 | 0.43 |
| Educational services | 58 | 0.7% | $10,156 | 0.29 |
| Information | 46 | 0.5% | $88,095 | 0.25 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 90.8% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 0.0% |
| Work from home | 0.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 1.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,908 |
| Income per person | $43,107 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,098 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.3% |
| Median home value | $269,800 |
| Homeowners | 49.5% |
| Poverty rate | 11.0% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 86.5 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,030 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 36.6 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 25.8% |
| Born abroad | 5.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 66.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -6.5 | 20 | 16 |
| Feb | -4.9 | 23 | 21 |
| Mar | 2.6 | 37 | 41 |
| Apr | 9.5 | 49 | 78 |
| May | 15.8 | 60 | 104 |
| Jun | 22.0 | 72 | 112 |
| Jul | 25.0 | 77 | 80 |
| Aug | 23.3 | 74 | 95 |
| Sep | 18.7 | 66 | 83 |
| Oct | 10.0 | 50 | 60 |
| Nov | 2.7 | 37 | 30 |
| Dec | -4.2 | 24 | 29 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota Dunes | SD | 3 mi | 3,936 | $136,125 | $1,225 |
| Sioux City | IA | 6 mi | 86,101 | $68,906 | $976 |
| South Sioux City | NE | 7 mi | 13,907 | $68,223 | $1,127 |
| Le Mars | IA | 24 mi | 10,640 | $74,701 | $929 |
| Vermillion | SD | 28 mi | 11,878 | $50,456 | $764 |
| Wayne | NE | 33 mi | 6,121 | $53,702 | $792 |
| Sioux Center | IA | 41 mi | 8,454 | $92,983 | n/a |
| Yankton | SD | 52 mi | 15,540 | $67,804 | $790 |
| Canton | SD | 53 mi | 3,033 | $60,850 | $673 |
| Norfolk | NE | 59 mi | 26,054 | $58,884 | $875 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
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3,045 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,098 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.3% of the median household income.
$71,908 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
1.8% (BLS county, Union County (latest month 2026M09)).
South Dakota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.