Rapid City vs Sioux Falls
Rapid City, South Dakota versus Sioux Falls, South Dakota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Rapid City and Sioux Falls score about the same overall (47 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Rapid City | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $63k | $72k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $42k |
| Home Value | $245k | $250k |
| Monthly Rent | $975 | $965 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $19k | $48k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.19% | 1.21% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.11% | 6.11% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 6.66% | 6.24% |
| Unemployment | 3.4% | 2.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 18°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.0 in | 27.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 53.7 in | 45.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 262 days | 235 days |
| Summer Humidity | 55°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 52 days | 81 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 29.0 | 56.0 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 34.9 | 37.5 |
| Violent Crime | 2359/100k | 1656/100k |
| Property Crime | 2760/100k | 3083/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 75,632 | 193,401 |
| Median Age | 38.6 | 34.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.37 | 0.33 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | R+26 | Even |
| White (%) | 76.5% | 79.3% |
| Black (%) | 1.6% | 6.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.1% | 5.7% |
| Asian (%) | 1.2% | 2.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 14.5% | 6.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 8.5/20 | 14.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 301 mi | 161 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.7% | 91.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 25.65 | 13.86 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
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 Rapid City or Sioux Falls more affordable?
- Sioux Falls has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Rapid City's $45k and Sioux Falls's $42k. Median rent is $975 in Rapid City versus $965 in Sioux Falls.
- Is Rapid City or Sioux Falls safer?
- Sioux Falls has the lower violent crime rate. Rapid City reports 2359/100k and Sioux Falls reports 1656/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Rapid City or Sioux Falls?
- The median home value is $245k in Rapid City and $250k in Sioux Falls, so homes are more affordable in Rapid City.