Welcome to Sioux Falls the Sixth Best Place to Live in South Dakota – According to Some Website

According to the website for Movoto Real Estate, if you live in Sioux Falls you are living in the sixth best place to live in South Dakota. Based on their ranking Brooking is the best place in the SD to hang your hat.

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How did they come to this conclusion? Here's what they say,

First, we made a list of the most populated places in the state that had at least 3,000 residents, which left us 24 places. We then  collected numbers in specific criteria for each of them from the U.S. Census and American Community Survey. These criteria were:

• Total amenities
• Quality of life (cost of living, median home price, median rent, median household income, and student-to-teacher ratio)
• Total crimes
• Tax rates (sales tax and income tax)
• Unemployment
• Commute time
• Weather (temperature and air quality)

Based on that they came up with this list of the 10 best places to live in the southernmost of all the Dakotas.

1. Brookings
2. Aberdeen
3. Pierre
4. Watertown
5. Huron
6. Sioux Falls
7. Rapid City
8. Mitchell
9. Milbank
10. Lead

I would have thought Rapid City would place higher based on it's proximity to Reptile Gardens, but whatever - they didn't ask nine-year old me.

But really? Sioux Falls is sixth?

They said it's because the crime rate in Sioux Falls is a little higher then the others on the list. Well that's what happens in places with people. Out on the desolate prairie tundra it's low, and so is human interaction.

Did they not take into account our huge number of 24-hour grocery stores, paved streets and sidewalks or our ability to be above freezing more often then places up north?

Or the parks system and bike trail that help make the city great. And really, there are so many options for shopping at any hour of the day, it's amazing.

Maybe it's because I grew up in small town Western Nebraska in the 80s and remember not even being able to buy gas after 6:00 PM. Knowing that if I want to make my famous buffalo chicken dip at 1:00 AM if I want is an amazing luxury.

Anyways, congratulations Brookings, a website like you.

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