Is Sioux Falls America’s Largest City Without a Mask Ordinance?

As the Sioux Falls city council once again prepares to debate a mask ordinance at its next meeting, most cities of its size have already done so. But is Sioux Falls the largest city in the United States without a mask policy in place?

No matter what side of the issue you fall on, it's an interesting question. Sioux Falls has a population of roughly 190,000 residents, which would make it the 133rd largest city in the U.S. After doing some research on the subject, here's what I came up with.

On Monday evening, Iowa Governor, Kim Reynolds issued a loose mask ordinance policy for the state of Iowa, making it the 36th state in the country to adopt such a plan. That leaves 14 states in the U.S. without a mask policy in place at this time. They include Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wyoming.

Out of those 14 states, a few of them (like South Carolina, New Hampshire, and Mississippi, Wyoming) don't have cities larger than Sioux Falls, so they're crossed off the list. Other cities that are bigger than Sioux Falls have recently passed city ordinances that have implemented mask-wearing in indoor public places for those aged 11 and up.

Based on everything I could find on "mask ordinances" online, and after searching through the largest cities in the remaining states on the list, it does appear that Sioux Falls is the largest city (that I could find) without a mask policy in the United States. This, of course, could all change with the next Sioux Falls City Council meeting.

Story Sources: Dakota News Now, World Population Review