Lakes of the North vs Rapid City
Lakes of the North, Michigan versus Rapid City, Michigan: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Rapid City edges out Lakes of the North on overall objective livability (51 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lakes of the North | Rapid City |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $62k | $64k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $45k |
| Home Value | $158k | $187k |
| Monthly Rent | — | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $460 | $489 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.99% | 0.90% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.80% | 8.93% |
| Unemployment | 4.0% | 5.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 18°F | 20°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.2 in | 33.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 148.8 in | 132.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 189 days | 189 days |
| Summer Humidity | 59°F | 59°F |
| Comfortable Days | 76 days | 80 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 40.4 | 38.4 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 49.4 | 53.4 |
| Violent Crime | 895/100k | 895/100k |
| Property Crime | 627/100k | 627/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,031 | 1,196 |
| Median Age | 55.0 | 54.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.08 | 0.07 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.05 | 0.87 |
| Political Leaning | R+24 | R+24 |
| White (%) | 95.9% | 93.9% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 1.3% | 4.3% |
| Asian (%) | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.4% | 1.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 5.7/20 | 6.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 146 mi | 136 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 76.7% | 92.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 58.20 | 125.42 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lakes of the North or Rapid City more affordable?
- Rapid City has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Lakes of the North's $45k and Rapid City's $45k.
- Is Lakes of the North or Rapid City safer?
- Rapid City has the lower violent crime rate. Lakes of the North reports 895/100k and Rapid City reports 895/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lakes of the North or Rapid City?
- The median home value is $158k in Lakes of the North and $187k in Rapid City, so homes are more affordable in Lakes of the North.