Rapid City, SD

Census place 4652980 · pop 77,946

D60/ 100
😐 Meh
D−
in SD
📍 South Dakota ranks #3 of 50 states →
🏆 Jobs1.9% · top 1%
🚽 Inequality0.47 · bottom 23%
💡 Did you know?

Gateway to Mount Rushmore and known as the 'City of Presidents' for its downtown bronze statues.

Source ↗
Taxes
1.09% property · US 0.99%6.11% sales · US 7.00%None income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Income inequality0.4723

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.47 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Adult smoking15.9%27

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

15.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Broadband access90.3%40

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

90.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level4 days41

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

4 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property-tax burden1.09%44

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.09% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Median household income$70,87045

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$70,870 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Poverty rate12.5%45

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

12.5% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Housing cost$299,40047

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$299,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Homeownership62.9%47

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

62.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Uninsured adults9.6%49

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

9.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Physical inactivity24.4%54

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

24.4% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Population growth (5yr)+3.6%55

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+3.6% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Adult obesity34.0%55

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

34.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level85/10056

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

85/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Bachelor's degree or higher37.0%64

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

37.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Poor mental health16.0%66

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

16.0% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Rent$1,403/mo75

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,403/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Air quality (AQI)County-level36 AQI86

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

36 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time17 min89

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

17 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Unemployment rateCounty-level1.9%100

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

1.9% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Not measured for Rapid City: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Rapid City, SD a good place to live?
By the numbers, Rapid City scores 60/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unemployment rate and its weakest is income inequality. South Dakota overall ranks #3 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Rapid City, SD expensive to live in?
Rapid City has a median home value of $299,400 and typical rent around $1,403/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Rapid City, SD?
Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.47) — 23/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Rapid City, SD best at?
Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (1.9%) — 100/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Gateway to Mount Rushmore and known as the 'City of Presidents' for its downtown bronze statues.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.