Sioux Falls or Rapid City? (Lead, Tea: real estate, dermatologists, sex offenders)

[jellybean3009]

Looking for a great place to retire with good medical facilities, reasonable housing costs, low crime rate. Which would you recommend, Sioux Falls or Rapid City?

Thanks.

[Chris19]

Both are great choices. I personally would recommend Sioux Falls, due to it being a regional medical center and having two solid large healthcare centers based there (Avera McKennan and Sanford). The city also has a number of speciality hospitals, a heart hospital (operated by Avera), and a number of doctors, opthamoligists, oncologists, dermatologists, dentists, plastic surgeons, etc. I know of several people who have gone through medical issues and both hospitals do a very good job with treating these patients. Many people even come from Sioux City, IA (a city of 80,000 people) along with many places in the eastern half of South Dakota, Western Minnesota, Northwestern Iowa, and parts of Northeastern Nebraska for specialized services. Drawing from a broad region and having good reputations in the area should speak very well for both hospitals.

Sioux Falls is affordable in housing relative to most other parts of the nation, but there are a number of small towns around Sioux Falls 5 to 25 miles out that are near Sioux Falls but offer more affordable housing options. If you have more questions about the nearby communities, I can certainly help. Sioux Falls has been working hard in expanding affordable housing options along with other nearby communities.

Sioux Falls is a city of over 150,000 people with 225,000 or so in its metro and it is progressive in nature, but still maintains its Midwestern charm. Part of the charm is the low crime rate. Sioux Falls has a low crime rate relative to other cities its size. I go out in most areas of Sioux Falls during the day and night and feel safe and I have lived in the area for most of my life.

The city has many offerings for shopping and entertainment. Its shopping options are going to expand in the next few years with the the strong but steady growth of the city and two new outdoor lifestyle centers opening up new stores. The city also has air service and has seven destinations with Northwest (Minneapolis), United (Chicago and Denver), Delta (Cincinati), and Allegiant (Las Vegas, Orlando, and Phoenix) and most of these lead to other deistinations.

The city is two and half hours from Omaha, five and half from Kansas City, four from Minneapolis/St. Paul, and four from Des Moines. Rapid City is not too far from Denver, but Sioux Falls has access to more larger areas than Rapid City. Sioux Falls has two interestates and is in a crossroads location, which makes it handy for travel.

Rapid City is also a nice place too (lots of hills and near the beutiful Black Hills) and there are a couple of people on the forum from that area who are very helpful and resourceful about that area in the Black Hills.

[Jammie]

Chris is always a hard act to follow.

It probably depends on your preference. Do you prefer the Hills area or the flatter area? The cost of living is quite comparable in both places and both towns are nice, clean towns. The crime rate is low in both, also. Rapid City has a bit milder winter climate.

Rapid City, South Dakota (SD) Detailed Profile - relocation, real estate, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, news, sex offenders

Sioux Falls, South Dakota (SD) Detailed Profile - relocation, real estate, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, news, sex offenders

RapidCityJournal.com - Rapid City, South Dakota's News Leader » News » Local

argusleader.com | Argus Leader | Sioux Falls news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Chris' stats are more up to date then they are on the sites above.

[DannyBanany]

Both have great medical centers, low crime, and much more reasonable housing than anywhere in the US, so this is a very difficult question to answer. Sioux Falls is larger, has two medical systems, closer to large cities, and has more shopping. Rapid City has about 80,000, one large medical system that covers the entire Black Hills region, and is much prettier than Sioux Falls.

I guess it just depends on what you like. Rapid City's winters are dry and mild whereas Sioux Falls' are wet and frigid. It is not unusual for Rapid City to hit 70 degrees in January. Summers in Rapid City are dry and hot whereas Sioux Falls' are hot and humid. I prefer the dryness of Rapid City, but some members (Jammie) love that wet climate!

Also, I think a lot more people retire in the Black Hills than anywhere else in South Dakota. Probably because it's peaceful out here and we have great medical care.

[2Adam29]

been to both, and while I certainly enjoyed both cities thuroughly, I gotta go with Sioux Falls. It had more charachter to me.

[MJ1986]

I agree with everything Chris, Danny, and Jammie said... Even though I live in SF, I love the Hills and Rapid City. The Black Hills are a popular retirement place...
But Sioux Falls is an excellent city... Not really anything you can complain about!

[bugman46]

IS custer a good place work and live.

[DannyBanany]

Originally Posted by bugman46

IS custer a good place work and live.

It's a great place to live, but I guess it just depends on what type of work you do. If you work for the Forest Service or if you own a restaurant, covenience stores, etc. it's probably great. If you're an investment banker or a neurosurgeon it's probably not.

[Chris19]

Originally Posted by DannyBanany

Both have great medical centers, low crime, and much more reasonable housing than anywhere in the US, so this is a very difficult question to answer. Sioux Falls is larger, has two medical systems, closer to large cities, and has more shopping. Rapid City has about 80,000, one large medical system that covers the entire Black Hills region, and is much prettier than Sioux Falls.

I guess it just depends on what you like. Rapid City's winters are dry and mild whereas Sioux Falls' are wet and frigid. It is not unusual for Rapid City to hit 70 degrees in January. Summers in Rapid City are dry and hot whereas Sioux Falls' are hot and humid. I prefer the dryness of Rapid City, but some members (Jammie) love that wet climate!

Also, I think a lot more people retire in the Black Hills than anywhere else in South Dakota. Probably because it's peaceful out here and we have great medical care.

As much as I complain about the springtime/falltime allergies with the dampness and humidity, I am one of the members who likes the wet climate due to there being more green and leafy trees. I sometimes get lightheaded when I get into drier climates such as Las Vegas and Colorado, but is worse in Las Vegas. I know that if I were to relocate, I would chose Kansas or Missouri (due to warmer climate). I love the trees in Missouri.

My wishlist for Rapid: completion of the Heartland Expressway, success for the science lab, and expanded career opportunities for those in the area. Mine wishlist for Sioux Falls: another viable shopping area (east side with Dawlay Farm and Galleria), further diversification of the economy (more techonology and professional jobs to keep the young in Sioux Falls and allow Sioux Falls to compete with Des Moines and Omaha), improvements to the roads (completion of the beltway around the city, repairs and added lanes on I-29 betewen Exit 73 (Tea) and Exit 78 (26th St) along with addition of 85th St. exit and modernization of the I-29/I-229 interchange, a new events center, and other things.

Each city has its good qualities. I side with Sioux Falls naturally and tooted my horn earlier in the forum.

[golfgal]

I would have to say Sioux Falls as well. Sioux Falls is a GREAT town. Besides the other benefits mentioned, getting to and from Sioux Falls is easier, plane, bus, etc. We lived in Sioux Falls for a few years and with the exception of the Mayo Clinic we received the best medical care in Sioux Falls vs every where else we have lived. I would move back to Sioux Falls any day.