City comparison
Ames, IA is about 150 miles (225 km) from Sioux City, IA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 175 miles, or about 3 h behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Ames, IA to Sioux City, IA takes about 17 min, covering roughly 150 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Sioux City has a population of 85,469, vs 66,265 in Ames — about 1.3× larger by population. By land area, Sioux City covers about 59 sq mi vs 28 sq mi for Ames.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Ames | Sioux City | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,011/mo | $904/mo | 11.8% higher in Ames |
| Median home value | $247,500 | $149,800 | 65.2% higher in Ames |
| Median household income | $57,428 | $64,250 | 11.9% higher in Sioux City |
| Groceries index | 94.0 | 94.2 | ≈ equal (Sioux City slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 83.8 | 83.5 | ≈ equal (Ames slightly higher) |
| Transportation index | 93.3 | 93.1 | ≈ equal (Ames slightly higher) |
| Healthcare index | 93.5 | 93.3 | ≈ equal (Ames slightly higher) |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Ames, you'd need $94,309 in Sioux City to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Sioux City, IA is about 5.7% cheaper overall than Ames, IA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 19% higher in Ames than in Sioux City. If you earn $80,000 in Ames, you'd need about $75,447 in Sioux City to keep the same standard of living.