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Living in
Rapid City.
About
Life in Rapid City
The median household income of $70,870 and median home values around $299,000 reflect a solid cost of living, though it's climbed in recent years as the city has attracted more residents. The flip side is climate: winters are cold and dry, with frequent snow (averaging 48.5 inches annually) and lows that regularly drop to 0°F, while summers see about 32 days hitting 90°F+, and the whole region is arid with only about 17 inches of annual precipitation. Spring can bring sudden cold snaps and late snow into May.
Rapid City at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.5%
Foreign-Born
2.6%
Broadband Internet
90.3%
of households
Population Growth
+7.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.6% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Rapid City: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Rapid City, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (17.7%), and 1.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.0%
of residents
65 and Older
20.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
24.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.7%
of households
Married Couples
40.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.30
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 17% above SD average
Rent, home values, and income in Rapid City
In Rapid City, rent runs 17% above the SD average, and home values are 16% above the SD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
89.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,251
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1979
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $360,913 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for SD
Unemployment in Rapid City
Unemployment in Rapid City is close to the SD average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Rapid City Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.5 min avg
How Rapid City residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Rapid City, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 9 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 133% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Rapid City runs 133% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
767.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,654.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Rapid City 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 Rapid City, 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.
4 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 Rapid City, 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
Climate81°F summers, 17°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Rapid City has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and very cold winters (avg low 17°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
56°/35°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/38°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
37°/17°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
20.0"
Annual Snowfall
53.7"
Hot Days/Year
24
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
144
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
103
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°F | 16°F | 0.31" |
| Feb | 38°F | 18°F | 0.53" |
| Mar | 47°F | 26°F | 0.94" |
| Apr | 55°F | 34°F | 2.26" |
| May | 65°F | 45°F | 4.12" |
| Jun | 76°F | 55°F | 3.33" |
| Jul | 84°F | 62°F | 2.62" |
| Aug | 83°F | 60°F | 2.17" |
| Sep | 74°F | 51°F | 1.40" |
| Oct | 59°F | 38°F | 1.49" |
| Nov | 47°F | 27°F | 0.48" |
| Dec | 38°F | 19°F | 0.37" |
Healthcare3 hospitals, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Rapid City
Rapid City has 3 hospitals, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
3
within city limits
Uninsured
9.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Monument Health Rapid City Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Black Hills Surgical Hospital Llc
Acute Care Hospitals
Same Day Surgery Center Llc
Acute Care Hospitals
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.
Education15.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Rapid City
Rapid City's student/teacher ratio is 15.7:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 37.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
24
within city limits
Private Schools
8
within city limits
College Degree Rate
37.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Rapid City
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Public · 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
Private 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
Public · 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, 17 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Rapid City
Rapid City has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Mount Rushmore National Memorial (17 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
National Memorial
17 mi awayWind Cave National Park
National Park
36 mi awayJewel Cave National Monument
National Monument
38 mi awayBadlands National Park
National Park
45 mi awayMinuteman Missile National Historic Site
National Historic Site
61 mi awayDevils Tower National Monument
National Monument
82 mi awayPublic Libraries in Rapid City
Rapid City Public Library
610 Quincy Street, Rapid City
Cities Near Rapid City
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Rapid City?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Rapid City FAQ
Is Rapid City, South Dakota affordable?⌄
Rapid City's median rent is $1,109/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $70,870/year. Median home value is $299,400.
Is Rapid City, South Dakota safe?⌄
Rapid City's violent crime rate was 767 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3655 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Rapid City, South Dakota?⌄
Rapid City has an unemployment rate of 1.9%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Rapid City, South Dakota?⌄
The cost of living in Rapid City is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,109/month and median household income is $70,870/year. The median home value is $299,400. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Rapid City, South Dakota?⌄
The average commute in Rapid City is 18 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