Sioux Falls, South Dakota
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Sioux_Falls-waterfall.jpeg
Sioux Falls (pronounced ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 123,975. It is the county seat of Minnehaha CountyTemplate:GR.
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Geography
Sioux Falls is located at 43°32'11" North, 96°43'54" West (43.536285, -96.731780)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 145.9 km² (56.3 mi²). 145.9 km² (56.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.04% water.
Sioux Falls has been assigned the ZIP codes 57101, 57103-57110, 57117-57118, 57188-57189 and 57192-57198 and the FIPS place code 59020.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 123,975 people, 49,731 households, and 30,783 families residing in the city. The population density is 849.9/km² (2,201.4/mi²). There are 51,680 housing units at an average density of 354.3/km² (917.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 91.90% White, 1.80% African American, 2.12% Native American, 1.19% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.23% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. 2.49% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 49,731 households out of which 32.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% are married couples living together, 10.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% are non-families. 29.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.40 and the average family size is 3.00.
In the city the population is spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females there are 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 94.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $41,221, and the median income for a family is $51,516. Males have a median income of $32,216 versus $24,861 for females. The per capita income for the city is $21,374. 8.4% of the population and 5.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 10.3% of those under the age of 18 and 7.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Transportation
Most residents of Sioux Falls get around the region by car. Interstate 90 passes across the northern edge of the city, while Interstate 29 and spur-route Interstate 229 bisect the city.
Sioux Falls Transit, the local public transit organization, operates 15 bus lines within the city.
Jefferson Lines runs long-distance bus routes to Sioux Falls, but no Amtrak passenger trains pass through South Dakota.
Several domestic airlines serve Sioux Falls Regional Airport, also known as Joe Foss Field (in honor of aviator Joe Foss), offering non-stop flight service to a number of major U.S. airport hubs, including Chicago O'Hare and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, as well as Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport and Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport.
Minor league sports teams
- Sioux Falls Skyforce - basketball (Continental Basketball Association)
- Sioux Falls Storm - arena football
- Sioux Falls Stampede - ice hockey
- Sioux Falls Canaries - baseball (Northern League)
- Sioux Falls Spitfire - soccer
Other
During the 20th century, the city grew as it was home to several major meat processing companies, including John Morrell. Sioux Falls is home to one of U.S.A.'s largest stockyards. Livestock and agriculture related industries were the major factor behind the city's growth.
Sioux Falls is the major health care center for eastern and central South Dakota, northwest Iowa, and southwest Minnesota. The credit card operations of Citibank are located in Sioux Falls and this center is a major employer in the city.
This city also contains the Episcopal Calvary Cathedral.
Sioux Falls is home to the Sioux Empire Fair, The Great Plains Zoo & Delbridge Museum of Natural History and The Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science.
The city is home of the 114th FW, located at Joe Foss Field. The 114th houses F-16C/D fighter aircraft. This unit is well known for its support of community activities and services.
Other notable facts: In the September 1992 issue of Money Magazine, Sioux Falls was named the best place to live in America. The following year, Ryder Consumer Truck Rental rated Sioux Falls as the nation's number one destination, based on a survey among cities with a population above 100,000.
Famous People: Sioux Falls was once the home of Joe Foss, first Commissioner of the American Football League, which later became the American Football Conference of the National Football League (NFL). Also from Sioux Falls, TV personalities Mary Hart from Entertainment Tonight, Junior U.S. Senator John Thune, and Pat O'Brien from Access Hollywood.
Popular Attractions
- Wild Water West (http://www.wildwaterwest.com/)
- The Great Plains Zoo & Delbridge Museum (http://www.gpzoo.org/)
- Falls Park
- Thunder Road (http://www.feelthethunder.com/sf.html)
External links
- SiouxFallsBeat.com - Your guide to the Sioux Falls area (http://www.siouxfallsbeat.com/)
- City of Sioux Falls government website (http://www.siouxfalls.org/)
- Sioux Falls Transit information (http://www.siouxfalls.org/Transit/index.asp?ID=885)
- A short history of Sioux Falls (http://www.siouxfalls.org/citywide/subpage.asp?id=1216)
- Sioux Falls Argus Leader - the city's daily newspaper (http://www.argusleader.com/)
- SiouxReview.com - local events calendar (http://www.siouxreview.com/)
- SiouxFamilyGuide.com - local family activities, events, and services (http://www.siouxfamilyguide.com/)
| Regions of South Dakota | 
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|---|---|
| Black Hills - Coteau des Prairies | |
| Largest cities | |
| Aberdeen | Belle Fourche | Brandon | Brookings | Canton | Ellsworth | Hot Springs | Huron | Madison | Mitchell | Mobridge | Pierre | Rapid City | Rapid Valley | Sioux Falls | Spearfish | Sturgis | Vermillion | Watertown | Winner | Yankton | |
| Counties | |
| Aurora - Beadle - Bennet - Bon Homme - Brookings - Brown - Brule - Buffalo - Butte - Campbell - Charles Mix - Clark - Clay - Codington - Corson - Custer - Davison - Day - Deuel - Dewey - Douglas - Edmunds - Fall River - Faulk - Grant - Gregory - Haakon - Hamlin - Hand - Hanson - Harding - Hughes - Hutchinson - Hyde - Jackson - Jerauld - Jones - Kingsbury - Lake - Lawrence - Lincoln - Lyman - Marshall - McCook - McPherson - Meade - Mellette - Miner - Minnehaha - Moody - Pennington - Perkins - Potter - Roberts - Sanborn - Shannon - Spink - Stanley - Sully - Todd - Tripp - Turner - Union - Walworth - Yankton - Ziebach |