Is Sioux City really that bad?? (Iowa City, Riverside: home, movies, place to live)

[Signora]

Hello,

I have read back a little on the Forum and there seems to be a lot of negativity about Sioux City. Since this might be a possibility for a move... it would be nice to have more info. We lived in Iowa City for a while and loved it (winters aside). Now we are in RI, but will be moving this summer (job related).
Sioux City is one of the possibilities.... So, as I am trying to do as much research as possible, I would like to hear the good the bad and the ugly! Another possibility for a move is Wisconsin (Wausau area).... Anyone with experience in both?

Thank you!

[Tek_Freek]

I'd pick Wisconxin.

This post was too short

[FutureDomer]

I'd also like more info regarding Sioux City. My husband is interested in doing his residency at Siouxland but I'm not sure that I want to live in Sioux City.

[TommyG]

Sioux City isn't all that bad - it has its bright spots, but it does have its downers, too. It just depends on what you're looking for. I've lived there for the last 7 years, and although it's not my idea of "paradise", it is a good place to raise children. There's no such thing as traffic here, and if you look hard enough you will find enough culture and decorum to keep you happy.

Housing is incredibly affordable, but there are good parts of town (Morningside, far northern end) and really bad parts (West side, Riverside). There are also "suburbs" around that offer nice housing alternatives, such as Dakota Dunes, Elk Point, Sgt. Bluff.

Jobs? Unless you're into slaughtering hogs or driving a truck, they're mostly service industry/retail. There's been a huge downsizing in local businesses (Gateway went from 9,000 people to just under 1,000, Tyson laid off hundreds, and MCI completely shut down), but the big new local industry is telemarketing and outsourced call centers. There's always jobs available, but unfortunately most of them are in the $7.00 an hour range.

The weather stinks in the winter, but the city is pretty good about keeping up with the snow removal. The roads are in rough condition year round, thanks to potholes the size of Buicks, but for the most part its fairly easy to get around. I can get from my home in Morningside to downtown Sioux City in 6 minutes flat, which makes it easy to get to/from concerts, sporting events, movies, etc.

Sioux City is considered by many to be a backwards town, but it's really not that bad. Sure, there are a lot of people who are mentally stuck in the 60's, but there's also a certain progressive element to the community. You just have to look a little harder to find it.

So there you have it.

[Signora]

Thanks for the info. I still don't know where we will be moving, but you definitely put my mind at ease....

[Guttdogg]

also, one of the downfalls to SC is the fact it's a river town... there's hardly a straight road, and It can be somewhat confusing for a newcomer.

But since they put the bipass in, there has been alot of expansion of shopping near the mall... VERY good thing for SC.

Plus if you'd want to get out of town for shopping, head up I29 to Sioux Falls... little different atmosphere (and alot more expensive housing)

just my $.02

[Jammie]

IMHO Sioux City is the least best place to live in Ia. I'm guessing there may be some nice areas to SC, but I've never seen them. I'm not saying this to be cruel and I don't want to offend one of my neighbors, but whenever you drive past SC, the smell of the stockyards is overwhelming.

[Lbar]

You don't have to really go by the stockyards to get to where you want to in SC. And in my past year of going to Sioux City I can't remember a time where it smelled bad. (Because I don't have a need to go past the stockyards.) Of course this is coming from a visitors point of view. In my visitors point of view, I love Sioux City. Lately they've been doing a lot of expansion with a lot of newly introduced businesses. Lots of good restraunts. However, I don't know anything about the housing and whatnot.

[Isaysos]

Yes, Sioux City is that bad!

[SpeedyAZ]

I concur with the other posters here, stay away from Sioux City. The suburbs aren't that bad (Dakota Dunes is VERY nice) but the city itself is a dump in my opinion. There are much better areas in Iowa to live in.