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Old 01-28-2015, 09:48 AM
 
149 posts, read 301,098 times
Reputation: 334

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My spouse was laid off last month, and our family is considering relocating. My spouse has a potential job offer, so it isn't as if we're just throwing darts at the map....

Anyway. We currently live in a small town in upstate New York. Prior to this, we lived in Erie, PA, and my spouse is from Iowa, so we are familiar with the kind of place we *think* Sioux City is - a small/midsize midwestern city, a fair amount of family-oriented things to do, but (hopefully) still a comfortable small-town feel. The weather doesn't scare us - long gray frigid winters are typical out here, too.

But I'm curious about day-to-day living in the Sioux City area -- good neighborhoods/bad neighborhoods, schools, access to medical care, parks/outdoor activities, museums, libraries...all the things that round out life beyond having a job. I've looked at websites and news, but I'd love to hear from people who've "been there, done that."

Thanks!
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Old 01-28-2015, 10:36 AM
 
Location: Sioux Falls, SD area
4,825 posts, read 6,831,217 times
Reputation: 10113
Quote:
Originally Posted by exploringoptions View Post
My spouse was laid off last month, and our family is considering relocating. My spouse has a potential job offer, so it isn't as if we're just throwing darts at the map....

Anyway. We currently live in a small town in upstate New York. Prior to this, we lived in Erie, PA, and my spouse is from Iowa, so we are familiar with the kind of place we *think* Sioux City is - a small/midsize midwestern city, a fair amount of family-oriented things to do, but (hopefully) still a comfortable small-town feel. The weather doesn't scare us - long gray frigid winters are typical out here, too.

But I'm curious about day-to-day living in the Sioux City area -- good neighborhoods/bad neighborhoods, schools, access to medical care, parks/outdoor activities, museums, libraries...all the things that round out life beyond having a job. I've looked at websites and news, but I'd love to hear from people who've "been there, done that."

Thanks!
Here's an old thread discussing Sioux City. There are plenty of pros and cons. There are lots of very nice small towns within an easy commute to Sioux City to work that I would consider over living there. That's just my personal preference. I could live there and be happy I'm sure whereas there are too many places in the country to mention of similar size that I wouldn't dream of raising a family.
Is Sioux City really that bad??
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Old 02-04-2015, 10:11 PM
 
Location: Everywhere.
1,956 posts, read 1,553,667 times
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Not bad at all. Been in Sioux City for over two years, after relocating from Florida. It is a good natured industrial-based midwest city. The more pricier neighborhoods are on the southern and western sides of the city. Not really any bad areas, as the city has mostly low crime. The public shools have a good reputation.
There are many parks here, and some are located close to the Missouri River. Healthcare is readily available, as there is a large medical complex located downtown. The main multi-level library is also downtown, right across from the Orpheum Theater(where they have concerts, plays, etc.). There is also a large events center that draws national artists, and where ice hockey teams play. They renovated an adjacent building for the now open Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
Generally, been happy with relocating here, even with the cold winters!
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Old 02-05-2015, 11:03 AM
 
389 posts, read 665,998 times
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Once again, I'll post what my brother's Sioux City experiences were after graduating high school. He moved there for three months and didn't like it at all. He moved back home immediately to live under my parents' roof because life in that town was not what he hoped for. He later moved to Omaha and is now quite content there. I've made a few visits to the town myself and can understand his decision. It's more depressing than uplifting.

If this forum is only a place for "happy stories" pushing a false narrative about how great every city is, then it is doing a real disservice to those seeking a wide range of opinions.
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Old 02-05-2015, 12:07 PM
 
Location: Council Bluffs, Iowa
336 posts, read 570,341 times
Reputation: 546
I'm glad you enlightened us twice..
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Old 02-05-2015, 07:41 PM
 
Location: Jonesboro
3,874 posts, read 4,661,988 times
Reputation: 5364
Could we get back on topic please?
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Old 02-05-2015, 07:59 PM
 
389 posts, read 665,998 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by atler8 View Post
Could we get back on topic please?

[mod snip] Discusses moderation

So, yeah, Sioux City needs plenty of work. Having been there more than once, I can easily say that is the case.

Last edited by ElleTea; 02-06-2015 at 11:39 AM..
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Old 02-10-2015, 10:24 AM
 
149 posts, read 301,098 times
Reputation: 334
Quote:
Originally Posted by Star691 View Post
Not bad at all. Been in Sioux City for over two years, after relocating from Florida. It is a good natured industrial-based midwest city. The more pricier neighborhoods are on the southern and western sides of the city. Not really any bad areas, as the city has mostly low crime. The public shools have a good reputation.
There are many parks here, and some are located close to the Missouri River. Healthcare is readily available, as there is a large medical complex located downtown. The main multi-level library is also downtown, right across from the Orpheum Theater(where they have concerts, plays, etc.). There is also a large events center that draws national artists, and where ice hockey teams play. They renovated an adjacent building for the now open Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
Generally, been happy with relocating here, even with the cold winters!
Thanks, Star691. As I said in my original message, this sounds a lot like the Erie, PA area, where we lived previously and were pretty happy.

Our current "city" has a population of less than 30,000, so many of the kinds of opportunities you mention - but probably seem insignificant to those from more urban areas - just aren't there. In terms of medical care, there is ONE group practice for pediatricians, a limited number of specialists, and many times folks drive an hour or more for advanced care. (We aren't in the market for too much of that yet, but it something we DO consider.)

Right now the biggest hurdle to our relocation would be the fact that we BOTH need to work, and there don't appear to be too many openings in my field out there right now. The job for which my spouse is being considered doesn't pay quite enough to make up for my missing income, even if you take into account the fact that if I was home we wouldn't be paying for childcare for a while. :/
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Old 02-10-2015, 06:51 PM
 
71 posts, read 117,690 times
Reputation: 55
Sioux city is easily one of my most favorite cities. Sioux city is a river town with a population over 80,000 with industry also. Don't listen to those who think its so depressing and boring because there is always so much to do in Sioux City. First I'm going to say that we have such a great and historic downtown. From being an early boom town, Sioux city has such rich history and great architecture. The Badgerow building, the Warrior, Castile on a hill, City hall, the old Woodbury County Courthouse, Battery building, the Davidson building, the Frances building, the Martin tower, the Plymouth and Boston block, municipal auditorium, the Orpheum theatre, are just some of the historic buildings you will see. It also has a mix with some newer buildings like the Terra center, Sioux city hotel, the convention center, and others. For entertainment in the downtown we have the Tyson events centerand the Orpheum theatre that host the circus, concerts, sporting events and other activities the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino also has a great and fancy casino with a great hotel and activities such as concerts. The downtown area also has museums, the art center, a children's museum soon to come, and a skywalk if you are a history buff. We also have great facilities for exercise such as the Y in South Sioux City, and the Long lines family rec center which is the municipal auditorium. We also have a great library located in downtown which is also connected to the skywalk so you don't have to walk to it in the cold.
If you like shopping then we have the Lakeport commons and a big mall out in Morningside with marketing.For Medical we have two big hospitals which are St. Lukes and Mercy located in the downtown area. Our nicer areas are Riverside, Morningside, North, and East. Our not so nice areas would be Midtown, Westside, and Greenville. We have nice parks such as Grandview park. Sioux city is also home to stone state park, three rivers, and the loess hills which is the landscape the city is on. We have great activities and festivals such as biker nights, ragbrai, Saturday in the park, and other festivals. Sioux city is also home to three great colleges such as Morningside, Briar Cliff, and WIT. Don't forget to also visit the Floyd monument if you live or are visiting. I hope you like our city and also one of the best ways to know if you like it is to visit. If not impressed give it another chance.I wasn't impressed at first but the more I visited the more I seemed to like it and today it is my most favorite city by far. If you don't like it then find another city then. Hope you enjoy and will call Sioux city home one day. Good luck

Last edited by Shay53; 02-10-2015 at 07:39 PM.. Reason: i didnt finish
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Old 02-10-2015, 07:45 PM
 
71 posts, read 117,690 times
Reputation: 55
Quote:
Originally Posted by exploringoptions View Post
Thanks, Star691. As I said in my original message, this sounds a lot like the Erie, PA area, where we lived previously and were pretty happy.

Our current "city" has a population of less than 30,000, so many of the kinds of opportunities you mention - but probably seem insignificant to those from more urban areas - just aren't there. In terms of medical care, there is ONE group practice for pediatricians, a limited number of specialists, and many times folks drive an hour or more for advanced care. (We aren't in the market for too much of that yet, but it something we DO consider.)

Right now the biggest hurdle to our relocation would be the fact that we BOTH need to work, and there don't appear to be too many openings in my field out there right now. The job for which my spouse is being considered doesn't pay quite enough to make up for my missing income, even if you take into account the fact that if I was home we wouldn't be paying for childcare for a while. :/
Sioux city has some of the most affordable housing and is also one of the best small places for businesses and careers. Sioux city also has been ranked one of the top places for economic development.
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