Sioux Center is a city in Sioux County,

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

. The population was 8,229 at the time of the 2020 census. Sioux Center is notable for its Dutch heritage, agribusiness, and as the location of

Dordt University Dordt University is a private evangelical Christian university in Sioux Center, Iowa. It was founded in 1955 and is affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church in North America. The university name is a reference to the Synod of Dordt (Dordre ...

Geography

Sioux Center is located at (43.076546, −96.173214). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all land. Sioux Center is at an elevation of above sea level. It lies near the north-to-south ridge, or spine, of western Iowa. The eastern side of Sioux Center drains to the Floyd River. The western side drains to the

Big Sioux River The Big Sioux River is a tributary of the Missouri River in eastern South Dakota and northwestern Iowa in the United States. It flows generally southwardly for ,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataTh ...

. The area within a ten-mile (16 km) radius of Sioux Center has been divided into sections of one square mile each. The gravel and paved roads marking the sections do not swerve or contour for the slight hills or valleys.

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2020, there were 8,229 people, 2,495 households, and 1,846 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was 1,322.1 inhabitants per square mile (510.5/km²). There were 2,669 housing units at an average density of 428.8 per square mile (165.6/km²). The

racial Race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 16th century, when it was used to refer to groups of va ...

makeup of the city was 78.6%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.7% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.0%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 9.8% from other races and 9.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any race comprised 21.0% of the population. Of the 2,495 households, 39.3% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 2.8% were cohabitating couples, 20.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 12.5% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 26.0% of all households were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals, 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The median age in the city was 27.4 years. 36.0% of the residents were under the age of 20; 11.5% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 22.0% were from 25 and 44; 16.7% were from 45 and 64; and 13.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.1% male and 49.9% female.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 7,048 people, 2,201 households, and 1,598 families residing in the city. The

was . There were 2,306 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.6%

, 0.4%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.3% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 5.4% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 13.1% of the population. There were 2,201 households, of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.4% were

living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 27.4% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.18. The median age in the city was 27.7 years. 24.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 22.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.6% were from 25 to 44; 18.8% were from 45 to 64; and 13% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.4% male and 50.6% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 6,002 people, 1,831 households, and 1,351 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,933 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.58%

, 0.15%

, 0.10% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.03%

, 1.62% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 4.67% of the population, but this population continues to grow. There were 1,831 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.0% were

living together, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.10. Age spread: 22.3% under the age of 18, 27.1% from 18 to 24, 20.7% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $42,775, and the median income for a family was $51,039. Males had a median income of $35,821 versus $20,025 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $16,912. About 4.9% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over. In 2000, 66.66% of Sioux Center residents identified as being of Dutch heritage. This was the largest percentage of

Dutch American Dutch Americans () are Americans of Dutch and Flemish descent whose ancestors came from the Low Countries in the distant past, or from the Netherlands as from 1830 when the Flemish became independent from the United Kingdom of the Netherlan ...

s of any place in the country.

Economy

Sioux Center commerce, like many smaller towns in northwest Iowa, is dominated by

agribusiness Agribusiness is the industry, enterprises, and the field of study of value chains in agriculture and in the bio-economy, in which case it is also called bio-business or bio-enterprise. The primary goal of agribusiness is to maximize profit ...

. Farmland near Sioux Center sold for a record $27,750 per acre in March 2024. The quality of the farmland and its ability to produce high yields of corn and soybeans is the primary natural resource that propels the economy. Many of the larger employers in the area supply support materials to grain and animal production, process the results of grain and animal production, or provide services to the people involved in agricultural supply, production, and processing. Most of the tallest and the largest structures in town are grain storage facilities. Other major local employers include th
Interstates Companies
which specialize in the design and installation of electrical systems for industrial and commercial projects, and

Pella Pella () is an ancient city located in Central Macedonia, Greece. It served as the capital of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. Currently, it is located 1 km outside the modern town of Pella ...

, which manufactures windows and employs approximately 400 people in the local plant. Sioux Center continues to have freight rail service. The

BNSF Railway BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad in the United States. One of six North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 36,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three Transcontinental railroad, transcontine ...

's main line runs parallel to U.S. Highway 75 through Sioux Center. There are several rail spurs and a BNSF equipment station. Grain is the main rail transported commodity.

Notable people

Vern Den Herder Vern Wayne Den Herder (born November 28, 1948) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for 12 seasons with the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played in three Super Bowls for the Dolp ...

, player on the undefeated

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...

team of 1972 * Nancy Meendering Metcalf, American indoor volleyball player *

Dennis Muilenburg Dennis A. Muilenburg (born 1964) is an American engineer, business executive and a former president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Boeing, a multinational aerospace and defense company. He was CEO from 2015 to 2019, when he was fired in th ...

, former president, chairman, and CEO of

Boeing The Boeing Company, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...

* Eldon Mulder, former member of the

Alaska House of Representatives The Alaska House of Representatives is the lower house in the Alaska State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The House is composed of 40 members, each of whom represents a district of approximately 17,756 people pe ...

* Christian Rozeboom, NFL player * Delwin Vriend, whose civil rights case ''

Vriend v. Alberta ''Vriend v Alberta''

998 Year 998 ( CMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – Otto III retakes Rome and restores power in the papal city. Crescentius II (the Younger) and his followers ...

1 S.C.R. 493 is an important Supreme Court of Canada case that determined that a legislative omission can be the subject of a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Charter violation. The case involved a dismissal of a ...

'' established sexual orientation as a protected human right in Canada

Attractions and events

In 2012, Sioux Center was the first stop of RAGBRAI XL (Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa). Sioux Center has hosted RAGBRAI on 3 other occasions: 1990, 1996, and 2002. The Sioux County Youth Fair is held every year for about one week in the middle of July. The fair is mainly focused on agriculture, but there are also live events like musical performances and various activities for kids. Early in June the city hosts "Summer Celebration" which features a town theater production, car show, and cruise night as well as other miscellaneous events. The "pork feeders" host an annual picnic in the central park. The "Siouxperman Triathlon," inaugurated in 2007, is held annually in early May and the "Harvest Half Marathon & 10K" is held annually in early October. Sioux Center has several entertainment options. The All Seasons Center, which includes the Siouxnami Waterpark and indoor aquatic center, an ice skating arena, and spaces available for rent, is a mixed-use facility open to local residents and students of

. The university's Campus Center has a bowling alley and recreation center.

Religion

Sioux Center's strongly Dutch heritage is also largely a Reformed (Calvinistic) Protestant heritage. Sioux Center has five Christian Reformed churches, four

Reformed Church in America The Reformed Church in America (RCA) is a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination in Canada and the United States. It has about 82,865 members. From its beginning in 1628 until 1819, it was the North American branch of the Dutch Reformed ...

churches, one United Reformed church, and one Netherlands Reformed Church. There is also an Evangelical Free Church, one Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ church, and one ELCA church. A Roman Catholic parish is part of a cluster of two other parishes in nearby towns, all served by a single priest within the Diocese of Sioux City. Sioux Center is also home to Amistad Christiana, which is a Spanish-speaking congregation affiliated with the CRC and the

RCA RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded in 1919 as the Radio Corporation of America. It was initially a patent pool, patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Westinghou ...

Culture

Sioux Center is home to the Northwest Iowa Symphony Orchestra. Their concert hall is the

chapel known as the B.J. Haan Auditorium. The orchestra is composed mostly of volunteers from the NW corner of Iowa. Some of the principals are paid positions. The orchestra also offers scholarships and opportunities for developing musicians from the local schools and colleges. Dr. Henry Duitman directed the orchestra for the past 22 years and was recently hired as an Assistant Professor by

Grand Valley State University Grand Valley State University (GVSU, GV, or Grand Valley) is a public university in Allendale Charter Township, Michigan, Allendale, Michigan, United States. It was established in 1960 as Grand Valley State College. Its main campus is situated on ...

Allendale Charter Township, Michigan Allendale Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 Census, the township population was 26,582. Allendale Charter Township is best known as being home to the main campus of Grand Valley St ...

, leaving a conductor vacancy for the orchestra. In April 2011, it was announced that Christopher Stanichar, the Director of Orchestral Activities at

Augustana University Augustana University is a private Lutheran university in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The university identifies 1860 as the year of its founding, the same as its Rock Island, Illinois, Swedish-heritage sister school, Augustana College. It deri ...

Sioux Falls, South Dakota Sioux Falls ( ) is the List of cities in South Dakota, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the List of United States cities by population, 117th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha Coun ...

, would be taking the director's position for the orchestra.

Education

Schools

Sioux Center is the home of

, formerly known as Dordt College. Dordt's 1,500 students are drawn from the local area, Christian Reformed and Reformed communities across the United States and Canada, and other locations throughout the United States and worldwide. Dordt's engineering, education, and agriculture programs are especially popular with students. The Sioux Center Community School district educates 1,730 students as of October 2024. The school is one of the few non-consolidated schools in northwest Iowa. The kindergarten through 4th grade Kinsey Elementary School posted an all-time high enrollment of 477 in the fall of 2024. 596 students are enrolled in the intermediate & middle schools, and 502 are at the high school. The elementary building and the middle school completed construction projects in 2010. Sioux Center Christian School educates approximately 538 students grades pre-K through 8th. Most students who graduate from Sioux Center Christian continue to either Western Christian High School in

Hull, Iowa Hull is a city in Sioux County, Iowa. The population was 2,384 at the time of the 2020 census. History The first settlers in the Hull area arrived in 1872. The city was incorporated on May 15, 1886. Hull was named for John A. T. Hull, a membe ...

or Unity Christian High School in Orange City, Iowa, although some go to the Sioux Center High School for their high school education. The sports teams of Dordt University and Sioux Center Community Schools enjoy a friendly, yet heated, rivalry with the teams of Orange City.

and Northwestern College compete in a number of sports, including soccer, volleyball and basketball. Dordt University recently started a football program, fielding a Junior Varsity team in the fall of 2007 and a Varsity team in 2008. MOC-Floyd Valley Community School competes spiritedly with Sioux Center Community School in many school activities. Sioux Center is a large division 2A school.

Library

The Sioux Center Public Library began in 1927. Its location changed many times over the years due to expanding demand and resource materials. In 1967, the library opened in a new location one block northeast of the Centre Mall. On July 23, 2003, a fire started due to

arson Arson is the act of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, watercr ...

and destroyed the library and $600,000 worth of materials in it. The library was moved to the community center while plans were drawn up for construction of a new building. Completed in September 2008, the Sioux Center Library's new location opened the door to many services – private meeting rooms, an art gallery, and many computers available for public use.

Organizations

Boy Scouts of America

Scouting began in Sioux Center back in 1923. The Sioux Center troop was charted as Troop 1 with Sioux City Area Council. After a number of years, Troop 1 was discontinued until 1935. Under the same council, Troop 94 was chartered by the American Legion Post #199. The Troop has continued since 1935. In 1943, the Sioux City Area Council transferred the troop to the Prairie Gold Area Council located in Fort Dodge, Iowa. At that time, Troop 94 was redesignated as Troop 211. The troop has had over 75 Scouts reach the rank of

Eagle Scout Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of Scouting America. Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle Scout rank has been earned by over ...

in its history.

Sioux Center Wreaths Across America

The tradition of laying wreaths to honor veterans during the holiday season began in 1992, when Morrill Worcester of Worcester Wreath Company (Harrington, Maine) was stuck with a number of extra wreaths at the close of the holiday season. Remembering a boyhood trip to

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia. ...

, he donated 5,000 wreaths to be placed at the headstones of an older section of the cemetery. Worcester's action grew into a national movement. In 2006, Wreaths Across America was formed as a non-profit. Every year on a Saturday in December, more than 1,000 locations participate by laying wreaths out of remembrance and respect for America's servicemen and women. Each wreath is sponsored by individuals, organizations, or businesses. Each sponsorship lays one wreath in Memory Gardens. Currently, Aaron Van Beek serves as director of the Sioux Center program.

Geography

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

2010 census

2000 census

Economy

Notable people

Attractions and events

Religion

Culture

Education

Schools

Library

Organizations

Boy Scouts of America

Sioux Center Wreaths Across America

References

External links