City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Sioux Falls, SD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 16.1% higher than in Sioux Falls, SD. Someone earning $100,000 in Sioux Falls, SD would need about $116,100 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $986 in Sioux Falls, SD. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 15% in Sioux Falls, SD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Sioux Falls, SD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Sioux Falls, SD ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.1% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Sioux Falls, SD: price level 90.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Sioux Falls, SD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 90.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,150 in Sioux Falls | $116,077 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $986/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (SD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $47,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Sioux Falls, SD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Sioux Falls, SD-MN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 77.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 80.7 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 91.9 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 90.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Sioux Falls, SD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
100 Strong offer
Sioux Falls, SD → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.9%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Sioux Falls, SD is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Sioux Falls, SD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Sioux Falls, SD | Real change, Boulder → Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Sioux Falls, SD | Sioux Falls pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $50,040 | $58,085 (−28.0%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $101,040 | $117,284 (−28.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $80,920 | $93,930 (−6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $75,350 | $87,464 (−15.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.