The Town FilesRapid City, South Dakota
City in Pennington County · population 74,703 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $299,400
- Household income
- $70,870
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 54 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 39.1
Rapid City is a city of 74,703 people in Pennington County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $299,400, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks more vibrant than 97% of South Dakota towns, more walkable than 94% of South Dakota towns, hipper than 89% of South Dakota towns.
How Rapid City ranks
Percentile among South Dakota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of South Dakota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rapid City is worth $299,400, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $70,870, which is more affordable than 10% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $1,109 a month. 62.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rapid City | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $299,400 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $1,109 | $785 |
| Median household income | $70,870 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 62.9% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Rapid City
| People | Rapid City | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.1 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.7% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.0% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.5% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 11.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 10.0% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 17.5 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.3% | 86.7% |
Weather in Rapid City
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 16.2°F. About 20.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 53.7 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rapid City since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 11, 1991 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 30, 1996.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 642 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on August 3, 2007.
Severe weather in Pennington County since 1996
Pennington County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | DR-4903: Straight-Line Winds |
| October 4, 2021 | Fire | FM-5418: Auburn Fire |
| March 29, 2021 | Fire | FM-5384: Schroeder Fire |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3475: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Pennington County
Pennington County had 62,114 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,286 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Rapid City itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Rapid City
24 public schools with 12,026 students, about 15.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central High School - 41 | 9-12 | 2,020 | 17.0 |
| Stevens High School - 42 | 9-12 | 1,763 | 18.8 |
| Southwest Middle School - 38 | 6-8 | 665 | 18.0 |
| East Middle School - 30 | 6-8 | 611 | 15.3 |
| West Middle School - 37 | 6-8 | 603 | 17.2 |
| Valley View Elementary - 13 | K-5 | 584 | 18.8 |
| South Middle School - 36 | 6-8 | 502 | 12.2 |
| Rapid Valley Elementary - 12 | PK-5 | 487 | 16.2 |
| North Middle School - 35 | 6-8 | 480 | 12.3 |
| Corral Drive Elementary - 21 | K-5 | 467 | 20.3 |
| Meadowbrook Elementary - 10 | K-5 | 454 | 16.8 |
| General Beadle Elementary - 01 | PK-5 | 441 | 15.8 |
Towns near Rapid City
- Rapid Valley, SD4.8 mi · 8,098 people · home $255,500
- Green Valley, SD5.7 mi · 1,051 people · home $280,300
- Colonial Pine Hills, SD6.2 mi · 1,903 people · home $406,500
- Ashland Heights, SD6.4 mi · 678 people · home $219,600
- Box Elder, SD7.3 mi · 11,746 people · home $302,100
- Blackhawk, SD8.0 mi · 3,026 people · home $273,300
- Summerset, SD10.4 mi · 2,972 people · home $368,300
- Johnson Siding, SD11.0 mi · 614 people · home $471,700
Rapid City questions
Is Rapid City, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rapid City scores better for retirees than 17% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 3%. 20.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.1).
How much does a house cost in Rapid City?
The median owner-occupied home in Rapid City is valued at $299,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,870, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,109 a month.
What is the weather like in Rapid City?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 16.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.0 inches of precipitation a year and 53.7 inches of snow.
Does Rapid City get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rapid City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 11, 1991. The typical South Dakota town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)