City profile · South Dakota · Census ACS 2023

Rapid City, SD

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Rapid City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

76,836
Residents
$65,712
Median income
$270,000
Median home
$1,336
Median rent (state)

Rapid City - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Rapid City lands in the 44th percentile for household income and the 5th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

44th
percentile, household income
60th
percentile, home value
49th
percentile, median rent
5th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Rapid City, SD

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 76,836 residents in Rapid City, a small city within South Dakota. Rapid City households earn a median of $65,712 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.8%. Typical homes in Rapid City are valued around $270,000, and the median resident age is 39.0 years. 36.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 60.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 866 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 135% from five years earlier. Rapid City's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 4511.0 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Rapid City's yearly average temperature at 46.3°F with 18.8 inches of precipitation per year and 36.1 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in South Dakota run below the national norm: the state registers 88.6 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,336 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $200 across South Dakota, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Rapid City workers runs 15.7 minutes, with 76.4% driving alone and 10.0% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 78.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

76,836 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Dakota

Median Household Income

$65,712 /yr

Poverty 7.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.6 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Dakota average

How does Rapid City compare to other US cities?

Rapid City measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 44% higher than other cities
Home value 60% pricier than other cities
Median rent 49% pricier than other cities
Safety 5% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just South Dakota and the picture shifts: Rapid City ranks #33 of 34 South Dakota cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Rapid City against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to South Dakota only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

South Dakota-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent is Rapid City's strongest outlier among South Dakota cities

Among the 303 South Dakota cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Rapid City ranks #1 - the 98th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Rapid City only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#116 of 285
59th percentile in South Dakota
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 303
98th percentile in South Dakota
Median Home Value
#29 of 263
89th percentile in South Dakota
Poverty Rate
#121 of 302
60th percentile in South Dakota
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#31 of 303
90th percentile in South Dakota

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within South Dakota only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

44thIncome percentile
5thSafety percentile

44th percentile nationally for median household income · 5th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Rapid City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Rapid City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 32 Avg. percentile National median
Rapid City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Rapid City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$270,000 40th percentile more affordable than 40% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Rapid City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Rapid City, SD Rapid City, SD's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Rapid City, SD-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Rapid City, SD median $65,712/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Rapid City, SD's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Rapid City, SD. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 36.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
76,836
Median Income
$65,712
Median Home Value
$270,000
Median Age
39.0
Poverty Rate
7.8%
Labor force participation
60.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
36.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4511.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
718.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3792.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
46.3°F
Annual Precipitation
18.8"
Annual Snowfall
36.1"

Schools

Total Schools
26
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
74,000 residents76,000 residents78,000 residents80,000 residents82,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 74,947 residents 80,589 residents ▲ +7.5%
Rapid City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
866
housing units authorized
Single-Family
144
detached homes
Multifamily
722
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
11.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 368
2020 913
2021 1,099
2022 729
2023 1,167
2024 866

Permit volume increased 135% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.7 minutes
Drive Alone
76.4%
Carpool
9.1%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
1.8%
Work from Home
10.0%
Other
2.3%

Based on 37,894 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for South Dakota - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$200
estimated/month

Estimates reflect South Dakota state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a South Dakota state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Rapid City sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.6
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,336/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
78.6 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Dakota

Aberdeen
28,297 people
Brookings
23,710 people
Watertown
22,859 people
Mitchell
15,637 people
Yankton
15,501 people
Huron
14,347 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Rapid City's 76,836 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Wyoming, MI
76,865 people
Alameda, CA
76,876 people
Schaumburg, IL
76,780 people
Woodbury, MN
76,945 people
Castle Rock, CO
76,614 people
Bethlehem, PA
77,069 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Rapid City's $65,712 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

D'Iberville, MS
$65,712 median income
Bennett, IA
$65,714 median income
Kingsley, MI
$65,714 median income
Stewartville, MN
$65,714 median income
Mount Healthy Heights, OH
$65,714 median income
Kenwood, OK
$65,714 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Rapid City, SD Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Rapid City, SD - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 78.3% 8.1% 9.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.6% White 78.3% Black or African American 1.6% Asian 1.3% American Indian 8.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.0% Two or more races 9.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Rapid City compares to nearby South Dakota cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Rapid City (this city) 76,836 $65,712
Aberdeen 28,297 $63,715
Brookings 23,710 $61,979
Watertown 22,859 $62,721
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SD FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Rapid City, SD?

What is the population of Rapid City, SD? +

Rapid City, SD has a population of 76,836 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Rapid City, SD? +

The median household income in Rapid City is $65,712 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Rapid City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Rapid City; the closest available measure is the South Dakota state average, a cost of living index of 88.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within South Dakota vary by metro area.

Is Rapid City, SD safe? +

Rapid City has a total crime rate of 4511.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Rapid City, SD? +

The median home value in Rapid City is $270,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Rapid City? +

Rapid City has an average annual temperature of 46.3°F, 18.8 inches of precipitation, and 36.1 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.