Could I get a 2014 update on Sioux City, please? (low crime, house)

[Goldenredclay]

Atler8, I really appreciate your post. You certainly understood what my challenges are in researching Sioux City. So many posts to weed through/weed out that are out of date or out of town passing through and passing judgement. Thank you for taking the time to tell me that this may not be the forum that gets me answers. I have begun researching through social media to see if I can get some answers there. I, too, have been in Georgia for about 35 years; my husband was born here. We both think a relocation midwest would be a fun change, but want to make sure we are going somewhere that isn't a depressed area. That was the biggest takeaway from everything I was reading. It makes Sioux City sound like a depressed city and I was looking to see if there were young professionals/families and good schools around....or were we heading into no-mans land!? I am hoping to get some input through social media. I contacted a realtor asking for relocation information and insight and got crickets there, too. I will have to try to contact another and see if I can get something. Thanks again for the reply and insight. My husband is curious how someone with 35 years in Jonesboro knows so much about Sioux City!

[Goldenredclay]

Todd00, I am with you. I think I would rather have the charm of an older house. I'm okay with a little boring and driving for shopping. I would love to be in a quieter town as long as the kids (and my husband and I) have the opportunity to make some friends and live in an active community....and by active I mean things like Girl Scouts, youth sports, good schools, etc. It looks like Clark Elementary (in the northern end of Sioux City which you speak of) is rated well. We have a few more days to collect information before my husband heads out to talk about the possibility of the relocation. I imagine that the move would have us there a couple of years, but this would be the first relo for us so there is a lot of uncertainty as to how long he would be there. Thank you very much for the response!

[atler8]

I'll direct message you this morning.

[Star691]

Sioux City is a good place. Plenty of things to do, not boring at all. Most major retailers/restaurants/hotels are represented here. You will find some factual information on here in past threads. Been in SC for over 2 years now, after moving from Florida. I first passed through SC on I-29 at night while driving to ND. It is really neat to see at night with the lights in and around the downtown buildings, and now with the new Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
To cover some of your questions and concerns. The more pricier homes/neighborhoods are around the Morningside/Lakeside areas of SC. The schools there are also good. A lot of newer construction is located North of the Gordon Drive area.
Plenty of outdoors/recreation activities here also, as SC is located next to the Missouri River. Relocating from Georgia, adjusting to the winter weather may be your biggest challenge. It got down to -20F here at night a couple of nights last winter(I worked in the ND oilfield during winter, so it was no big deal to me). Hope this information helps in considering your relocation.

[Goldenredclay]

Thank you Star691. Good information and nice to hear from someone who moved there and is happy (from the warm weather, too!). Definitely colder weather than we are used to. I think we would enjoy experiencing a snowier climate. We would surely need some new cold weather gear!

[todd00]

Ya, the winter weather, but then again in the city usually streets are plowed decently and people do as they do in the heat, make a mad dash from the house to the car. As far as a vehicle, there really is no need to have a 4 wheel drive type vehicle in town. So if you don't have an all wheel drive vehicle don't think you have to have one. Winters aren't really that bad. I'm sure your kids would enjoy winter play sliding down the hills at say Grandview Park. It's fun for the kid in all of us. If you like to hike and enjoy nature Stone Park is very nice and offers some great views for photography bugs.

I don't know if you've read about this or not. The hotel in downtown, used to be a Hilton, then a Clarion, then an independent. It was sold to the bank that held the lien on it at a foreclosure sale. They hope to find another chain interested in it. The old Warrior Hotel has been vacant many years, it was in the running for the casino but the Hard Rock name won out. It's a cool old building, I hope they can do something with it. Just mentioning it so when you see the buildings you will know what's going on with them.

Maybe you should try to rent at first until you are more certain how long you will be there. Though there doesn't seem to be much higher end housing stock for rent in the city. But it might give you time to look for the right house. The flooding is a problem in some parts of town so do make sure there are no issues that way. The north end of town doesn't seem to have the problems some other parts of town have with that.

Found a video of tubing/sledding down the hills at Granview Park. To get you in the snow mood. lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuKslg8MRyE

[rayman29]

Sioux City isn't a boom town, but it once was. In the late 1800s it grew at a huge rate and was thought to be the next Chicago, and had the nickname Little Chicago. That never happened, but is still one of Iowa's largest cities. Sioux City has an image problem. Locals think the town is boring, and so many move on. The truth is that Sioux City is a nice place. Housing is very affordable in relation to income, and there have been lots of positive changes in this century. More shopping and dining options have occurred in and around Lakeport Commons. The Tyson Events Center and the restored Orpheum, has brought in bigger names in entertainment. The new Events Center in Sioux Falls will create more competition, but with it being such a short drive, it will bring bigger acts there then would come to SC, and is just over an hour drive away. An expansion is being proposed to increase seating capacity to keep Tyson Center a profitable venue that acts will keep coming to. Sioux City does not have everything, but is a nice town, with nice parks, good schools, and events and activities for kids and adults. Personally I think some of Sioux Cities best days are the ones straight ahead. Ignore the nay sayers and give it a look.

[Goldenredclay]

Well, my husband was offered the job in Sioux City but then (out of nowhere) they decided they would offer him a position in Nebraska with a better career opportunity. I appreciate all of your feedback here. I have family that RV and they drove out to SC to see what it was like this week. They thought it looked like a nice and clean town with (no bad smell as in previous years posts about the nickname 'sewer city' and not dirty as it had been described in other older posts). But, looks like I am out of the Sioux City forum at this point! Thank you for very valuable feedback when I really needed it.

[Star691]

Glad we could help. Sioux City is one of America's most livable cities. Some people will have bad things to say about any place, and label it with lame nicknames. Glad to hear you'll still likely relocate in the Midwest. Omaha is also another one of my favorite Midwest cities!!

[funksoulbro]

Originally Posted by Star691

Sioux City is one of America's most livable cities.

Ummm.... What?!?!

By what criteria do you feel confident making such a bold proclamation? I can live with "Sioux City is an acceptable place to live" or "Sioux City isn't nearly as depressing as cancer"... but placing it on some lofty pedestal to which it doesn't belong is galling.