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We are a younger family looking to relocate to Sioux Falls and for the most part just want to get an idea on how it is.
We homeschool our young daughter and are looking for a great homeschool community, or basically just stuff to do! Are there a lot of homeschooling families in or around SF? We are a Christian family, but will gladly participate in secular groups too.
How about the best parts of SF, or towns like Tea, to live in? We would like to rent until we know if we want to stay permanently. Mostly just looking for clean, safe, and nicer townhomes or apt complexes -- but not too spendy.
As for employment, my husband is looking to find work as a CNA or Ward Clerk. Preferably in a hospital setting versus nursing home. He has 6 years of hospital ER and med-surg CNA experience under his belt. He also just enrolled in school to get his RN degree as we speak, but that will be awhile before he graduates. How is the hospital employment rate? Do the hospitals in SF hire CNAs and is the pay pretty decent for someone with 6 years of experience? (<-- I hate asking that, but it's hard to know what rent we can afford without knowing an estimate on income)
How is crime there? I'm guessing pretty similar to any bigger city, but just trying to get an idea on violent crimes, break-in's to homes, etc.
Also, looking for a new church to call home. We are pretty open to trying them all (non-demoninational, methodist, etc.) Just looking for somewhere that loves Jesus and sticks to the Word. Also, great worship is a huge plus!
I'd love to hear any opinions on SF. Do you love it, hate it, or could take it or leave it either way? Favorite things to do? Anything!
Thanks in advance! I really, really appreciate it!
We are a younger family looking to relocate to Sioux Falls and for the most part just want to get an idea on how it is.
We homeschool our young daughter and are looking for a great homeschool community, or basically just stuff to do! Are there a lot of homeschooling families in or around SF? We are a Christian family, but will gladly participate in secular groups too.
How about the best parts of SF, or towns like Tea, to live in? We would like to rent until we know if we want to stay permanently. Mostly just looking for clean, safe, and nicer townhomes or apt complexes -- but not too spendy.
As for employment, my husband is looking to find work as a CNA or Ward Clerk. Preferably in a hospital setting versus nursing home. He has 6 years of hospital ER and med-surg CNA experience under his belt. He also just enrolled in school to get his RN degree as we speak, but that will be awhile before he graduates. How is the hospital employment rate? Do the hospitals in SF hire CNAs and is the pay pretty decent for someone with 6 years of experience? (<-- I hate asking that, but it's hard to know what rent we can afford without knowing an estimate on income)
How is crime there? I'm guessing pretty similar to any bigger city, but just trying to get an idea on violent crimes, break-in's to homes, etc.
Also, looking for a new church to call home. We are pretty open to trying them all (non-demoninational, methodist, etc.) Just looking for somewhere that loves Jesus and sticks to the Word. Also, great worship is a huge plus!
I'd love to hear any opinions on SF. Do you love it, hate it, or could take it or leave it either way? Favorite things to do? Anything!
Thanks in advance! I really, really appreciate it!
Can't help you much. I have no connection to the home schooling environment in the area.
I can tell you anyplace in Tea is safe. Look for low income housing that's available in other nearby towns. I know Brandon and Harrisburg have fairly new apartment complexes that are income based. There are definitely some areas (and apartment complexes) to avoid in Sioux Falls having a small child to be concerned about. I'm not saying Sioux Falls has anything like a "ghetto" environment here, but living in a couple of these areas I wouldn't do with a family. Read some of the not so distant threads about various areas to avoid.
Churches galore in town. All the standard religions along with the trendy new ones. I'm sure you can find something that will fit you. No recommendation here. Everyone's needs in this part of their life may different than others.
I hate being the bearer of bad news, but to try and support a family on the single wage earner pay of a CNA is going to be extremely difficult. Believe me, you'll be needing 2 incomes to afford an apartment where you'll feel comfortable and not be eating noodles every night. My youngest daughter worked as a CNA for several years and has been an LPN now for several more years with a little over a year of school left towards her RN. There are plenty of CNA jobs available, but the reason is the pay is so low. You can expect the pay to be $9.00/hr. to maybe $ 12.00/hr. Hopefully you can get a pretty substantial Pell Grant along with your student loans to complete your husband's schooling in achieving his RN. I wouldn't drag out schooling too long. My daughter has worked part-time towards it, but she's making much more as an LPN (just under $ 17/hr.).
The Sioux Falls area in general is a great place to raise a family. Many very family oriented activities around town.
Here was my assessment on where "in general" to not consider for living. I posted this many months ago on a different thread. There are definitely some apartment complexes not within the areas listed that I would avoid also.
Most of the "happening" areas in town are not where the individual houses for rent that are dog friendly are.
As mentioned, the downtown loft area is taking off, especially for younger people without families and pets.
As long as you're not planning on being within walking distance of the downtown area, you can live almost anywhere in the city and it's a pretty easy commute. Many of the more trendier places are accessible almost exclusably by car.
There are multiple threads about the few areas in town that are not recommended for safer living. There is nowhere in Sioux Falls that I would call totally unsafe.
Areas I would avoid are the Pettigrew heights area west of Minnesota Avenue stretching from around 9th street south through approx. 16th Street. This area stretches west where there are some troubled neighborhoods as far as West Avenue. I have a sister that lives in this area and I can write a short story of the crime that has occured within 1 block of her house. This area would be number 1 on my list where NOT to live.
Another would be east of downtown/falls park from approx. Weber Avenue through about where Jessica Ave. is. Parts of this area are pretty decent while other parts are getting to have more crime as years go by. Pretty safe, but it's not an area that I would regularly go for a late night walk in.
The areas of town known as Riverside, Norton, and Frohlech are older blue collar areas with maybe a little more crime than most parts, but are mostly occupied by solid blue collar working types. Lot of good old boys type people here that would do anything for you if you try to fit in.
The rest of Sioux Falls is pretty safe. There are some very large apartment complexes mostly south of 41st Street where the police have pretty regular calls. This is mostly due to very young adults with no brains and too much alcohol. I would try to avoid living in these beehives if at all possible.
Hospital pay in Sioux Falls is a lot lower than other Midwest areas, I do the same exact hospital job as in MO and I make 10,000 dollars less a year here in SF. For hospital jobs you can check on the Avera or Sanford websites or go to indeed.com however even with the education and the experience if you don't know anyone from within it will be very hard to get in those two companies.
Cost of living is exactly the same as where I use to live, 2 Bedroom/2 Bathroom runs $700 and up per Month, also try to avoid the high traffic areas for apartments due to the noise, Louise, Kiwanis, Minnesota, Cliff, etc. The emergency vehicle and motorcycle traffic will wake you up at all times of the night.
Crime is low but is increasing, Meth is becoming a local issue. You can go to the City of Sioux Falls website and check out the 30 day police log and search by address street names if you know about where you what to live.
There are plently of telemarketing jobs that pay 8-12 dollars per hour Wells Fargo, Capital One, Citibank, Mediacom, the list goes on and on.
There are more job opportunties for HS Dropouts and GeD type of people here, with a college degree it is very hard to get any position.
I would HIGHLY recommend visiting every Season prior to relocating to Sioux Falls.
Good Luck.
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