Census-designated place · South Dakota
Rapid Valley, South Dakota
Rapid Valley, census-designated place, in Pennington County, South Dakota. Rapid Valley had 6,975 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±823). GEOID 4653007.
Residents, 2020-2024
6,975
±823 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 8,098
Median household income
$83,208
±$12,390 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $75,081
Median home value
$255,500
±$14,144 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $257,400
Median gross rent
$1,174
±$202 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $946
Where is Rapid Valley and what county is it in?
Rapid Valley is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Pennington County, South Dakota. It covers 6.4 square miles of land, 1,264 residents per square mile in 2020.
Rapid Valley is in the Rapid City, SD metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Rapid Valley, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Rapid Valley's population at 6,975 (±823). The 2020 Census counted 8,098 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Rapid Valley is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Rapid Valley | Pennington County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 6,975 ±823 | 113,512 | −2,139 |
| Households | 3,170 ±392 | 46,370 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.20 ±0.19 | 2.37 | −0.61 |
| Housing units | 3,192 ±390 | 51,681 | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Rapid Valley?
The median resident of Rapid Valley is 43.2 years old; 18.6% are under 18 and 18.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 75.8%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 9.7%.
| Measure | Rapid Valley | Pennington County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.2 ±4.8 | 40.1 | +7.8 |
| Under 18 years | 18.6% ±3.8 pts | 22.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.5% ±3.4 pts | 20.1% | – |
| Male | 53.8% ±3.5 pts | 51.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.5% ±2.7 pts | 5.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 75.8% ±6.2 pts | 77.8% | −12.4 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±1.1 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.6% ±4.1 pts | 1.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 3.3% ±3.3 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 9.7% ±3.6 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 2.8% ±3.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.9% ±3.4 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.7% ±3.9 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 12.2% ±3.3 pts | 12.3% | – |
| With a disability | 12.7% ±3.5 pts | 15.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.8% ±3.6 pts | 10.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.6% ±4.7 pts | 94.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.8% ±4.4 pts | 34.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.3% ±2.9 pts | 12.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.0% ±4.5 pts | 83.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.8% ±0.8 pts | 4.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Rapid Valley earn?
Half of Rapid Valley's 3,170 households earn less than $83,208 a year (±$12,390), against $74,517 in Pennington County and $75,081 in South Dakota. In 2015-2019 it was $79,491 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Rapid Valley | Pennington County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $83,208 ±$12,390 | $74,517 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $89,476 ±$6,995 | $99,289 | – |
| Per capita income | $41,281 ±$4,312 | $42,302 | +$9,086 |
| People below the poverty line | 4.5% ±3.7 pts | 11.2% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.9% ±9.9 pts | 15.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 3.2% ±3.7 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.6% ±4.0 pts | 95.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.0% ±2.9 pts | 90.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Rapid Valley?
Owners occupy 92.3% of Rapid Valley's occupied homes and renters 7.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $255,500 by its owner (±$14,144). The median renter pays $1,174 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Rapid Valley | Pennington County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $255,500 ±$14,144 | $302,200 | +$57,235 |
| Median gross rent | $1,174 ±$202 | $1,120 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 12.5% ±14.5 pts | 33.9% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,633 ±$106 | $1,803 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 92.3% ±4.4 pts | 69.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 7.7% ±4.4 pts | 30.7% | – |
| Housing units | 3,192 ±390 | 51,681 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.7% ±1.2 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±9.8 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 80.8% ±5.9 pts | 62.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 11.0% ±4.5 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.4% ±1.3 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.8% ±4.4 pts | 12.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.6% ±1.8 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.2% ±5.7 pts | 5.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Rapid Valley work and get to work?
81.5% of Rapid Valley's workers drive alone and 9.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 19.8 minutes.
| Measure | Rapid Valley | Pennington County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 71.2% ±4.7 pts | 64.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% ±3.9 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 81.5% ±6.3 pts | 77.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.3% ±2.5 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 1.9% ±2.6 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.2% ±4.2 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.8 min ±4.1 | 19.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Rapid Valley?
1 census tract lies mostly in Rapid Valley, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 109.06Pennington County | 5,966 | $83,409 |
| Tract 109.08Pennington County | 7,883 | $89,667 |
| Tract 109.07Pennington County | 3,801 | $71,923 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Rapid Valley) · Census block assignment files
How does Rapid Valley compare with other places in South Dakota?
Rapid Valley ranks 25th of 82 places in South Dakota with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 16th | 84 |
| Residents per square mile | 29th | 84 |
| Median household income | 25th | 82 |
| Per capita income | 28th | 83 |
| Median home value | 29th | 81 |
| Median gross rent | 9th | 72 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68th | 81 |
| Median age | 21st | 83 |
| Owner-occupied share | 9th | 84 |
| Work from home | 18th | 44 |
| Travel time to work | 26th | 84 |
Rapid Valley's figures with every place in South Dakota (CSV)
Every place in South Dakota, sortable · Compare Rapid Valley with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Rapid Valley?
21 of the 57 figures for Rapid Valley on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Rapid Valley are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.