Category: Accolades

Over the last few years, people across the country have said it’s time to start somewhere new. For a multitude of reasons, South Dakota is a great place for a fresh start. From our friendly people, our business climate, to our beautiful landscapes, we have it all. Now, we have a new ranking to prove it: South Dakota is the top five state for relocation according to top10.com.

“South Dakota’s low housing costs and no state income tax make it a desirable living place,” the article releasing the findings says. “Plus, South Dakota is the third state on this list with no state income tax, and it also has the fourth-highest job growth increase in the country.”

To learn more about the most and least popular states for moving, check out the link below.

Over the last few years, South Dakota has seen an uptick in new residents. We hear many stories from these newcomers who chose South Dakota because of our way of life that’s different from other states.

Now, the CATO Institute has recognized South Dakota as one of the top-three freest states in America.

“This study ranks the American states according to how their public policies affect individual freedoms in the economic, social, and personal spheres,” the release sharing the findings says. “The 2023 edition updates and expands on the six previous editions of Freedom in the 50 States. It examines state and local government intervention across a wide range of policy categories—from taxation to debt, from eminent domain laws to occupational licensing, and from drug policy to educational choice.”

To learn more about the ranking and to see how other states compared, click the link below.

Why work harder when you can work smarter? That’s the case for us here in Sioux Falls! Recently, SmartAsset ranked Sioux Falls as the second best job market in the U.S.

“Unemployment in Sioux Falls was only 1.8%, lowest studywide,” the article releasing the findings says. “The median income was slightly above average at $73,273, of which 16.9% generally goes to housing costs. Only 13.6% of the workforce works from home here, but the commute time for others is only 16.7 minutes. Over two years, workers saw a 20% increase in the median income, and 78% got health insurance through their employer.”

To learn more about the study and how other cities compared, click ‘read more’ below!

Sioux Falls: 3rd in economic strength

With new development occurring in every direction in Sioux Falls, it’s easy to wonder: is every city like this?

Sioux Falls’ economy has repeatedly shown its strength through the uncertainty of the last few years. Now, we have another accolade to show for it: Sioux Falls has been ranked 3rd in economic strength by POLICOM.

“The economic strength rankings are created so POLICOM can study the characteristics of strong and weak economies,” the publication of the findings says. “The highest ranked areas have had rapid, consistent growth in both size and quality for an extended period. The lowest ranked areas have been in decline for an extended period.”

To see how the rankings were compiled and how other cities compared, view the full study at the link below!

When it comes to seeking a college degree, the choices of what to study or which school to attend can seem endless. One thing at the top of mind for many students, though, is affordability.

Luckily, there’s a new listing of most affordable places to earn a college degree, compiled by Forbes. Even more exciting, that ranking lists South Dakota as the most affordable state to earn a college degree.

“To determine the most affordable states to earn a college degree, Forbes Advisor analyzed data falling under two broad categories: The actual costs of in-state tuition, fees, room, and board at public four-year universities in each state, and the cost-of-living and overall economic climate for recent graduates,” the article releasing the findings says. “We then took each of these individual metrics, weighted them, and ranked the states accordingly, with the most affordable states at the top of the ranking.”

To see why South Dakota made the top of the list, click the link below!

Even after the past two years of economic uncertainty, Sioux Falls has risen to the top in many different ways — from being consistently ranked as one of the best states for business to earning numerous accolades for our quality of life. Sioux Falls has once again been named a top place to live and work. This time, we’ve been ranked among the top 10 best-performing small cities by the Milken Institute!

“The BPC index reflects 12 indicators of economic growth and access to opportunities, providing a comprehensive assessment of the performance of cities over the past two years,” the report says. “The index is calculated by using 12 measures that fall into three categories: labor market performance, high-tech impact, and access to economic opportunities.”

View the full report and see how Sioux Falls compares with other U.S. cities by clicking ‘learn more’ below!

When it comes to finding a place to settle down, locations with great jobs and affordable housing are two of the top considerations. Luckily, Sioux Falls has been listed as one of the top 10 U.S. cities with plenty of jobs and affordable housing by GOBankingRates!

“To identify cities in the U.S. that have plenty of jobs and cheap housing, GOBankingRates gathered information on the 200 biggest housing markets in the U.S., according to Zillow,” the article releasing the findings says. “We gathered data available regarding the typical home value and monthly rent as of February 2023, as well as its Metro Statistical Area unemployment rate, according to the December 2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.”

To see how Sioux Falls compared with the other top 10 cities, click ‘learn more’ below!

With inflation driving up the cost of just about everything, it’s more important than ever to ensure living expenses fit within your budget, and renting affordability is a key factor to consider. Sioux Falls has risen to the top once again, ranked the 4th most affordable place to rent in America by WalletHub!

“To determine where renters can get the most bang for their buck, WalletHub compared more than 180 rental markets based on 21 key measures of rental attractiveness and quality of life,” the story releasing the findings says. “Our data set ranges from the difference between rental rates and mortgage payments to historical price changes, the cost of living and job availability.”

To see how other cities compared, check out the link below!

A move is a big consideration, and it’s one that doesn’t just affect you, but your family as well. For that reason, Fortune has compiled a list of the top 50 best places for families, and we’re excited that Sioux Falls has made the list as one of the best places for families, coming in at no. 35.

“In our analysis of nearly 1,900 cities across the country, the best places to live scored high on assets like health care, education, and resources for seniors—all of which can help fight isolation and build social ties. For the first time, this year’s list highlights the best place to live in each of the 50 states,” the article releasing the findings says.

To learn more about the methodology, to see which other cities made the list, and more, click the link below.

Retire better in Sioux Falls, SD

After spending decades working, your retirement is something you should enjoy. Fortunately, Forbes has done research to identify the top 25 places for retirement in 2023.

Sioux Falls is one of the best places to retire! With housing prices lower than the national median– $376,000– Sioux Falls is a great place to put down new roots. The study took into account quality of life indicators, factors that promote active retirement, and more.

“Accordingly, the Forbes Best Places to Retire In 2023 list aims to identify the top choices across the U.S. for high quality retirement living at an affordable price,” the article said.

See why Sioux Falls made the list at the link below.

Start your career in Sioux Falls

After four years of hard work and dedication, college graduation is a big moment to celebrate! But what comes next: finding a job, a new place to live, and starting a new phase of life can be intimidating.

Luckily, we know a city that’s a fantastic place to start a new chapter: Sioux Falls, SD, is the no. 5 best place for college grads according to Stacker.

“To be included, each metro needed a large share of residents with advanced degrees and a 2021 unemployment rate lower than or equal to the national average, which was 5.3%,” the article said. “Housing costs for young adults also had to be more affordable than the national average, measured as the ratio of the median income of households headed by people under 25 to the typical rent for a one-bedroom apartment. Metros were sorted by the median income of residents under 25, relative to the overall median income.”

See more about Sioux Falls’ ranking and how other cities compared!