Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Iowa. The bulk of the city is in Woodbury County, of which it is the county seat, though a small portion is in Plymouth County. Sioux City is located at the navigational head of the Missouri River. The city is home to several cultural points of interest including the Sioux City Public Museum, Sioux City Art Center and Sergeant Floyd Monument, which  is a National Historic Landmark. The city is also home to Chris Larsen Park, commonly referred to as "the Riverfront", which includes the Anderson Dance Pavilion, Sergeant Floyd Riverboat Museum and Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. Sioux City is the primary city of the five-county Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), with a population of 149,940 in the 2020 Census. The Sioux City–Vermillion, IA–NE–SD Combined Statistical Area had a population of 175,638 as of 2020. Sioux City is at the navigational head, or the furthest upstream point to which general cargo ships can  travel, of the Missouri River, approximately north of the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area. Sioux City and the surrounding areas of northwestern Iowa, northeastern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota are sometimes referred to as Siouxland, especially by local media and residents. History. Iowa is in the tallgrass prairie of the North American Great Plains, historically inhabited by speakers of Siouan languages. The area of Sioux City was inhabited by Yankton Sioux when it was first reached by Spanish and French furtrappers in the 18th century. The first documented US citizens to record their travels through this area were Meriwether Lewis  and William Clark during the summer of 1804. Sergeant Charles Floyd, a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, died here on August 20, 1804, the only death during the two and a half-year expedition. Sioux City was laid out in the winter of 1854–1855. It became a major transportation hub to the western Plains, including Mormons heading to Salt Lake City and speculators heading to Wyoming goldfields. In 1891, the Sioux City Elevated Railway was opened and became the third steam-powered elevated rapid transit system in the world, and later the first electric-powered elevated railway in  the world after conversion in 1892. However, the system fell into bankruptcy and closed within a decade. The city gained the nickname "Little Chicago" during the Prohibition era due to its reputation for being a purveyor of alcoholic beverages. On , United Airlines Flight 232 crash-landed at Sioux Gateway Airport, killing 111 people, but 184 survived the crash and ensuing fire due to outstandingly quick performances by fire and emergency local teams. Geography and climate. Geography. Sioux City is located at . Sioux City lies at an altitude of above sea level. Sioux City borders two states, South Dakota to the  west-northwest and Nebraska to the west. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Climate. As is typical of Iowa, Sioux City has a humid continental climate, with very warm, humid summers, cold, dry winters, and wide temperature extremes; it is part of USDA Hardiness zone 5a. The normal monthly mean temperature ranges from in January to in July. On average, there are 25 days that reach or higher, 52 days that do not climb above freezing, and 17 days with a low of or below  annually. The average window for freezing temperatures is October 1 thru April 26, allowing a growing season of 157 days. Extreme temperatures officially range from on up to on and , as well as ; the record cold daily maximum is on , while, conversely, the record warm daily minimum is on . Precipitation is greatest in May and June and averages annually, but has ranged from in 1976 to in 1903. Snowfall averages per season, and has historically ranged from in 1895–1896 to in 1961–1962; the average window for measurable (≥) snowfall is November 8 thru April 7, although snow in October occurs  several times per decade. On , the high temperature reached , setting a new all-time May record high, along with a rise from the morning of the 12th. Demographics. 2010 census. As of the census of 2010, there were 82,684 people, 31,571 households, and 20,144 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 33,425 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 80.6% White, 2.9% African American, 2.6% Native American, 2.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 7.4% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race  were 16.4% of the population. There were 31,571 households, of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.2% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.14. The median age in the city was 33.7 years. 26.6% of residents were  under the age of 18; 11.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.6% were from 25 to 44; 24% were from 45 to 64, and 12.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.2% male and 50.8% female. 2000 census. As of the census of 2000, there were 85,013 people, 32,054 households, and 21,091 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,551.3 people per square mile (599.0/km). There were 33,816 housing units at an average density of 617.1 per square mile (238.3/km). The racial makeup of the  city was 85.23% White, 2.41% African American, 1.95% Native American, 2.82% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 5.27% from other races, and 2.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.89% of the population. There were 32,054 households, of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household  size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.14. Age spread: 27.1% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was , and the median income for a family was . Males had a median income of versus for females. The per capita income  for the city was . About 7.9% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over. This compares with a median household income for the state of Iowa of and an Iowa median family income of . (current data from State of Iowa, see also List of U.S. states by income for historical data). Metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the Sioux City Metropolitan Area had 149,940 residents in four counties. As defined by the Office of Management and Budget, the counties comprising  the metropolitan area are (in descending order of population): Statistics from Sioux City's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Parks and recreation. Golf courses, city parks, and aquatics: Sioux City is also home to several municipal public golf courses, including Floyd Park in Morningside, Green Valley near the Southern Hills, Sun Valley on the northern West Side, and Hidden Acres in nearby Plymouth County. Sioux City also has a number of private golf clubs, including Sioux City Country Club, and Whispering Creek Golf Club. The city has over of public parkland located at 53 locations, including the riverfront and many  miles of recreation trails. Five public swimming pools/aquatics centers are located within Sioux City neighborhoods. The Sioux City Community School District served 14,569 students in the 2018-2019 school year; there are three public high schools West High School, North High School, East High School (grades 9-12), three public Middle Schools, West Middle, North Middle, and East Middle (grades 6-8), and 19 Elementary Schools (grades K-5). Education. Because of sprawl, districts around Sioux City continue to grow at dramatic rates. South Sioux City, Hinton, North Sioux City, Lawton, Bronson, Elk Point, Jefferson, Vermillion, Le Mars, Hawarden, Akron , Westfield, Ponca, Sergeant Bluff, Wayne, Sioux Center, along with other school districts that serve many metro-area students. Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools is a centralized private Catholic School System that includes six schools: They teach preschool through twelfth grade. Siouxland Community Christian School educates grades K-12. Sioux City is home to Briar Cliff University, Morningside College, Western Iowa Tech Community College, St. Luke's College of Nursing, and the Bellevue University outreach center. City ratings. "Money" recognized Sioux City in its August 2010 issue of the "Best Places To Live". Sioux City was no longer on the list of the  top 50 as of 2016. Sioux City has a crime rate that is 91% higher than the average for Iowa and 63% higher than the national average. The violent crime rate is 90% above the Iowa average and 49% higher than the national average, based on the FBI's uniform crime reports for the year of 2020. According to the report, this represented an 12% decrease over the prior year. In March 2013, Site Selection recognized Sioux City as the 4th Top Metro area in the Midwest Region. This ranking is based on the number of commercial facilities projects being  developed. Sioux City ranked 1st in regards to Metro Populations between 50,000 and 200,000. "Forbes" placed the Sioux City metro in the Top 15 Best Small Places for Businesses and Careers in 2011. By 2019, it had fallen to number 55 on the list. In 2011, MSN ranked the area the #2 Most Livable Bargain Market. In 2010, "The Daily Beast", an American news reporting website, placed Sioux City on their list of The Top 40 Drunkest Cities in America, with a ranking of 14th. According to a 2015 University of Iowa study for the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities , blight and disinvestment are serious problems in the downtown core as investment has shifted to suburbs. Transportation. Highways. Interstate 29 is a major controlled-access highway in Sioux City and the surrounding area providing easy access of the 20-mile stretch covering Sioux City and the majority of its suburbs. It approaches the city from Omaha to the south before curving northwest along the Missouri River near downtown. The highway then enters South Dakota and curves back to the north as it approaches Sioux Falls. Interstate 129 is an auxiliary Interstate that connects South Sioux City, Nebraska, to the south  side of Sioux City and works as a bypass for travelers to other surrounding suburbs. Interstate 129 also interconnects with U.S. Route 75, which is in expansion to expressway form connecting Sioux City to Worthington, Minnesota. U.S. Route 20, the longest road in the United States, spanning , is also in the process of expanding from a two-lane highway to four-lanes from Sioux City to Dubuque, which will provide faster and easier access comparable to Interstate 80. Until 2020, Sioux City operated automatic speed cameras on Interstate 29. Redflex Holdings, the camera operator, and the city extricated from drivers  while they were operating. The state of South Dakota has been refusing to provide addresses associated with license plates due to the large number of South Dakota residents fined by Sioux City. Public transportation. Sioux City Transit, the local public transit organization, operates several bus lines within the city. Buses transfer downtown in the Martin Luther King Jr. Transportation Center at 505 Nebraska Street. The Sioux City Paratransit serves members of the community who would otherwise not be able to travel by providing door to door service. Air. The city is served by Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX) to its south  where United Airlines' affiliate SkyWest Airlines has announced it plans to discontinue the one flight per day each to Chicago and Denver it currently offers. As those flights are federally subsidized under the Essential Air Service program, SkyWest is required to continue those flights until a replacement is found. FBO and jet charter services are currently offered by Hawthorne Global Aviation Services. In 2019, the Federal Aviation Administration proposed a civil penalty against SUX Airport for numerous alleged safety violations including alleging that the airport repeatedly failed to maintain surfaces, runway and taxiway markings, and visual wind direction indicators. The  FAA inspected the airport in May 2018, June 2019, and September 2019, and each time found numerous alleged violations. Others. Jefferson Lines runs long-distance bus routes to Sioux City. Non-Transfer destinations include Winnipeg, Kansas City, Minneapolis, and Omaha. Sioux City also has several private taxi companies that operate within the city. There is no established water or rail passenger transportation in the area. The last passenger train was the Illinois Central's "Hawkeye," a daily train to Chicago via Waterloo, Dubuque and Rockford, discontinued in 1971. Big Soo Terminal offers barge transportation.