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Living in
Box Elder.
About
Life in Box Elder
Box Elder is a community of 12,457 people in South Dakota. The median household income is $73,698, median rent runs about $1,491 per month, and median home values are around $302,100. Unemployment is low at 2.0%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Box Elder at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
28.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.5%
Foreign-Born
1.6%
Broadband Internet
93.3%
of households
Population Growth
+17.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.6% foreign-born, most often from Canada
Who lives in Box Elder: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Box Elder, the largest foreign-born group is from Canada (22.7%), and 2.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.9%
of residents
65 and Older
7.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
42.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
21.3%
of households
Married Couples
56.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.68
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 58% above SD average
Rent, home values, and income in Box Elder
In Box Elder, rent runs 58% above the SD average, and home values are 17% above the SD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
40.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
8.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
89.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,019
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
48.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2004
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $367,063 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for SD
Unemployment in Box Elder
Unemployment in Pennington County, which includes Box Elder, is close to the SD average.
Unemployment rate
Box Elder: Pennington County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Pennington County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Box Elder Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20.1 min avg
How Box Elder residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Box Elder, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 82% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 6 mi
Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP)
Regional airport · few flights443k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 5% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Box Elder runs 5% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
311.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,379.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Box Elder Police Department
Natural DisastersHail most common — 32 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
78.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Pennington County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Pennington County, which includes Box Elder, the most common type is hail, with 32 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 61 | Hail | $1,000 |
| 2023 | 68 | Hail | None reported |
| 2022 | 67 | Hail | $1.0M |
| 2021 | 58 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 90 | Hail | None reported |
| 2019 | 75 | Hail | $3.3M |
| 2018 | 62 | Hail | $50,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Pennington County, county-wide
Air Quality32 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Pennington County, which includes Box Elder, is typically good — 282 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
32
Good Days
282
per year
Moderate Days
81
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Pennington County, county-wide
Climate83°F summers, 14°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Box Elder has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and very cold winters (avg low 14°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/32°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/55°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/34°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
37°/14°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
17.4"
Annual Snowfall
48.5"
Hot Days/Year
32
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
174
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
96
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F | 13°F | 0.31" |
| Feb | 38°F | 14°F | 0.50" |
| Mar | 48°F | 23°F | 0.91" |
| Apr | 57°F | 31°F | 2.08" |
| May | 67°F | 42°F | 3.45" |
| Jun | 78°F | 52°F | 2.87" |
| Jul | 86°F | 59°F | 2.28" |
| Aug | 85°F | 56°F | 1.59" |
| Sep | 76°F | 46°F | 1.22" |
| Oct | 60°F | 34°F | 1.41" |
| Nov | 47°F | 22°F | 0.47" |
| Dec | 37°F | 14°F | 0.35" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Box Elder
Uninsured
10.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside Box Elder's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Monument Health Rapid City Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.5 mi away · Rapid City
Same Day Surgery Center Llc
Acute Care Hospitals · 8.2 mi away · Rapid City
Black Hills Surgical Hospital Llc
Acute Care Hospitals · 8.4 mi away · Rapid City
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Box Elder
Box Elder's student/teacher ratio is 16.0:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 28.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
28.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Box Elder (within 15 miles)
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
6.7 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 2,071 students · in-state tuition $11,500 · 60% graduate · median earnings $78,487 (10 yrs after entry)
National American University-Rapid City
10.8 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 764 students · in-state tuition $16,065 · 24% graduate · median earnings $38,663 (10 yrs after entry)
Western Dakota Technical College
5.4 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 753 students · in-state tuition $8,526 · 48% graduate · median earnings $46,591 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Mount Rushmore National Memorial, 24 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Box Elder
Box Elder has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Mount Rushmore National Memorial (24 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
National Memorial
24 mi awayWind Cave National Park
National Park
41 mi awayBadlands National Park
National Park
42 mi awayJewel Cave National Monument
National Monument
46 mi awayMinuteman Missile National Historic Site
National Historic Site
54 mi awayDevils Tower National Monument
National Monument
87 mi awayCities Near Box Elder
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Box Elder?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Box Elder FAQ
Is Box Elder, South Dakota affordable?⌄
Box Elder's median rent is $1,491/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $73,008/year. Median home value is $302,100.
Is Box Elder, South Dakota safe?⌄
Box Elder's violent crime rate was 312 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1379 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Box Elder, South Dakota?⌄
Pennington County, which includes Box Elder, has an unemployment rate of 2.0%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Box Elder, South Dakota?⌄
The cost of living in Box Elder is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,491/month and median household income is $73,008/year. The median home value is $302,100. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Box Elder, South Dakota?⌄
The average commute in Box Elder is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from