Dakota Dunes? (Sioux Falls, North Sioux City: estate, college, community)

[Chris19]

Sioux City is dirty in spots and has a long-distinguished reputation for that. The city has been trying to clean up in the past 10 years or so, I have noticed a lot of progress in the past five years. I have visited Sioux City often when I lived in Vermillion.

Dakota Dunes/Mc Cook Lake are nice areas. No income tax if one lives in the South Dakota side. People grocery shop in Iowa where there is no sales tax on food, except for soda and non-essential grocery items. Nebraska also does not have a food tax. On the Iowa side, Sioux City is the nicest on north Hamilton Blvd. and in the Mortningside and southeastern parts of the city by the Southern Hills Mall/Lakeport Commons (their outdoor mall) area. Also, Seargent Bluff, a town just south of Sioux City is decent. There are some areas of Sioux City to stay away from.

I can remember back in 1995-1996 area where there was more blight apparant in the Sioux City downtown area, but it is less apparent now due to more restaurants, hotels, Orpheum theater, and Tyson Events Center (better than the Sioux Falls arena, Sioux Falls needs to get one to rival it).

I agree with others in the forum that Sioux City is a town that has old money and has not been as progressive as Sioux Falls and Omaha in the past 20 or so years. I think Sioux City is getting better, but has the potential to do more to be in the driver's seat in the future.

The city has become very diverse. It has a sizable latino population, compared to other cities in the Upper Midwest, which it is not all bad. There are many friendly ones that I come across. There are other minority groups also. They help add character to the city in a good way.

Sioux City is an hour south of Sioux Falls and an hour and a half from Omaha. Three from Des Moines and four to five from Kansas City.

I recommend staying on the South Dakota side. Probably the best of the three states that greater Sioux City is in. If one is willing to have a hare longer commute, Elk Point and Jefferson are also good towns to look into. Elk Point is a town of 1700-2000 and is 16 or so miles up I-29 from Sioux City and has decent schools and is has a fair amount of newer homes going up. It is near Vermillion, which has speakers and cultural events due to it having a liberal arts college. Jefferson is a town of 500-600 and is a quaint little town. It is about 10 miles from Sioux City.

I agree with others that it is best to visit Sioux City before taking the job and moving there. It is not all bad.

[blueboat]

We have a job possiability in the South SC nebraska area????

What are is the best to live in for raising kids/schools and the drive to South SC nebraska for work is not far???
I have read a few comments on South SC nebraska and I am rethinking living in that area.
We are from san antonio Tx and it will be a hugh change.
Why is it called the "sewer city"???

thanks for any insight ????????

[Jammie]

OK, this is going to bring flames, but here goes. There are times that we've gone through Sioux City and smelled the stockyards for a huge part of the time and it's not pleasant. Many of the areas were also very run down. I have read that they are working hard on improving the area though.

Dakota Dunes may be a good choice for you, but it's VERY expensive.

[MJ1986]

Sioux City seems to be a more blue collar town. It has a neat downtown and riverfront... It has some run down areas. With I-29 running right next to the stockyards and numerous factories with huge smoke stacks, I get the perception of it being a "dirty" town.
Like Jammie said, Dakota Dunes is expensive... I've heard that the Morningside area is nicer. I'm not too familiar with South Sioux City...Only drove through it once and that was a long time ago.
The Dakota Valley School District in North Sioux City is a really good school district and is NCA accredited. I've seen a news story or two from the Sioux City news websites.

[DannyBanany]

I used to make trips to Sioux City nearly every month whether it be for soccer trips in school or to see my mother's surgeon. IMHO it is the dirtiest, stinkiest city in the midwest. Everything appears so old and I have never seen a clean area of that town. Dakota Dunes is very nice, but it's pricey and there is a long commute into Sioux City. If you are planning on South Sioux City that is even worse. There's Sioux City, North Sioux City, and South Sioux City. South is by far the dirtiest.

Not to make you feel reluctant about moving there or anything...

[Chris19]

Sioux City has a rough edge to it, but there are a number of decent parts to it. The northern part has some nice areas where there is "old money" and areas near the Southern Hills Mall/Lakeport Commons are nice. Morningside is another nice area of Sioux City. Seargeant Bluff, IA (next door to SC to the south is a good area). Sioux City is working to clean its downtown. Downtown does not have as many dead or abandoned areas as it did back in 1994-1995 time period. I have seen a lot of improvement to the city in the past 15 years.

It seems like the city is hit harder than Sioux Falls in times of economic downtowns and is problably due to its greater reliance on maunfacturing and less diversified economy compared to Sioux Falls.

Dakota Dunes is nice, but I would suggest Elk Point or Jefferson as other communities to look at. Both are nice, quiet communities. Both are growing at a steady rate. Elk Point-Jeffferson is a good school district. Elk Point has 1700-1800 people and Jefferson has 600 people.

[blueboat]

thanks for the help with possiable "communites" to look at housing.
i have an incoming 7th grader and a freshman in high school. The better schools will tell us where we want to look for housing. My husband does not want more than an 30 minute drive to south sioux city to work. I will look for employment in the school districts. I am an interpreter for the deaf.
any other information is well appreciated.

[Jammie]

Blue, I totally understand your DH wanted to live fairly close to work. We do have raging snowstorms and icy roads and it's not just once or twice a year either.

Your occupation is such a noble one. I'm just not sure how much employment will be available to you. I live in one of the larger school districts in the state and I'm not aware of a position like that. My guess is that none of the smaller schools would offer anything like that either. My only thoughts would be either Sioux City or Sioux Falls over in this direction.

[bellapria]

Dakota Dunes is a really nice area. I personally wouldn't want to live in sioux city either, but the dunes is a great option with some nicer houses.

[Chris19]

Originally Posted by blueboat

thanks for the help with possiable "communites" to look at housing.
i have an incoming 7th grader and a freshman in high school. The better schools will tell us where we want to look for housing. My husband does not want more than an 30 minute drive to south sioux city to work. I will look for employment in the school districts. I am an interpreter for the deaf.
any other information is well appreciated.

Elk Point is 15 miles from the Iowa line and Jefferson is 9 miles from Sioux City, IA, both are north on I-29. Dakota Dunes and North Sioux City are also good choices. Dakota Dunes is a very clean area, but may be more expensive than Elk Point, Jefferson, and other places in the tri-state area.