Rapid City, South Dakota
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 66% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 45% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 13% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 67% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 17% of US places
- top 5% for commute time
- top 8% for income tax
- bottom 3% for airport distance
Rapid City is a mid-size city in South Dakota with about 76,000 residents. It grades B for getting around and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include commute time, income tax, and natural disaster risk. It rates lower on violent crime and airport distance.
Official websitercgov.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
80%58%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.7 in0.4 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$63k50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$45kbetter than 60% of US places
Home Value$245k70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$975better than 43% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 34% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.19%better than 39% of US places
Income Tax0.00%better than 92% of US places
Sales Tax6.11%better than 82% of US places
Estimated total tax burden6.66%better than 87% of US places
Unemployment3.4%better than 54% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)24°F21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)71°F17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation20.0 in14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall53.7 inbetter than 11% of US places
Sunny Days262 daysbetter than 81% of US places
Summer Humidity55°Fbetter than 83% of US places
Comfortable Days52 daysbetter than 10% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk29.0better than 91% of US places
Air Quality47 AQIbetter than 47% of US places
School Quality34.9better than 8% of US places
Violent Crime2359/100kbetter than 5% of US places
Property Crime2760/100kbetter than 9% of US places
Community
Population75,63298th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.639th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3770th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0260th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2651st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)76.5%37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.6%63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.1%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.2%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)14.5%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time17 minbetter than 95% of US places
Walkability8.5/20better than 78% of US places
Airport Distance301 mibetter than 3% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access87.7%better than 56% of US places
Amenities Nearby25.65better than 25% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 12% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Rapid City an affordable place to live?
- Rapid City is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $45k, better than 60% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Rapid City?
- The median home value in Rapid City is $245k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Rapid City?
- Median household income in Rapid City is $63k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Rapid City?
- Median gross rent in Rapid City is $975 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Rapid City safe?
- Rapid City is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2359/100k (better than 5%). Property crime is 2760/100k.
- What is the weather like in Rapid City?
- Rapid City averages 71°F in July and 24°F in January, with 20.0 in of annual precipitation and about 262 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Rapid City?
- Public-school quality in Rapid City is below average, scoring better than 8% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Rapid City?
- The average one-way commute in Rapid City is 17 min.
Places near Rapid City
Compare Rapid City
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)