South Sioux City Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

City · Dakota County · Population 14,043 (2020 census) · ZIP 68776 · Founded 1887

About South Sioux City

South Sioux City is a city of 14,043 on the Missouri River across from Sioux City, Iowa, and the largest city in Dakota County. US 77 (Dakota Avenue) crosses to Iowa on the Siouxland Veterans Memorial Bridge, and I-129 with US 20 and US 75 on the Sergeant Floyd Memorial Bridge. It has South Sioux City Community Schools, two clinics, hotels including the South Sioux City Marriott Riverfront, the Scenic Park campground and Covington Links golf course.

History

Settlement on this side of the river began in the 1850s with Covington, platted in 1857 and known for its saloons and gambling, and the towns of Stanton and Pacific City. The narrow-gauge Covington, Columbus & Black Hills Railroad was built from Covington in 1876 and later became part of the Omaha Road. John M. Moan laid out South Sioux City in 1886; it incorporated on January 4, 1887, and absorbed Covington after an 1893 consolidation vote.

The Combination Bridge, carrying trains, streetcars and wagons to Sioux City, opened in 1896; Dakota County bought it in 1938, and it was torn down in 1981 after the Siouxland Veterans Memorial Bridge opened. I-129 and the Sergeant Floyd Memorial Bridge opened in 1976. The city has grown at every census since 1890 and counted 14,043 people in 2020. Horse racing has long been held at Atokad, and WarHorse Gaming broke ground on a casino beside the track in August 2026.

Highways and trails through South Sioux City

Route	One way	Other way
US 77Dakota Avenue, north–south	North over the Siouxland Veterans Memorial Bridge to Sioux City, Iowa	South to Dakota City (about 4 mi), Homer and Winnebago
I-129 / US 20 / US 75Across the north of the city	East over the Sergeant Floyd Memorial Bridge to I-29 in Sioux City	West on US 20 to Jackson (about 11 mi) and Willis

Nearby towns

Sioux City, Iowa	about 3 mi east	US 77 or I-129
Dakota City	about 4 mi south	US 77
Jackson	about 11 mi west	US 20
Homer	about 12 mi south	US 75/77
Hubbard	about 13 mi southwest	US 20, NE 110 and NE 35
Ponca	about 21 mi northwest	US 20 and NE 12

Things to see

Scenic Park, 801 Riverview Dr.: campground with 135 RV sites and cabins on the Missouri · Siouxland Freedom Park, with a half-scale Vietnam Wall and the Bud and Doris Day Interpretive Center · Crystal Cove Park, a lake with a 1.2-mile loop and the south end of the 22-mile Al Bengtson Trail · Covington Links Golf Course, 497 Golf Rd. · Pacific Short Line Bridge marker, E. 4th St. and Dakota Ave.

Events in South Sioux City

Dakota County Fair
Dakota County Fair, a county fair in Dakota City, Nebraska.

Know of another event here? Tell us about it.

Schools and health care

Schools: South Sioux City Community Schools: five elementary schools (including Dakota City Elementary), South Sioux City Middle School, 3625 G St., and South Sioux High School, 3301 G St.

Health care: UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine, 501 1st Ave. (weekdays); Siouxland Community Health Center, 3410 Futures Dr.; nearest hospitals UnityPoint Health–St. Luke's Downtown (about 3 mi) and UnityPoint Health–St. Luke's (about 6 mi), Sioux City

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Warner, History of Dakota County (1893); National Register of Historic Places; Nebraska Department of Transportation route mileposts. Distances marked "about" are estimates.