Rapid City

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Rapid City, SD

Area Guide

Discover rich history and unique attractions in this mountainous city

Affordable Tourism Family-Friendly Mountains History Scenic Restaurants

Located at the entrance to the Black Hills, Rapid City combines outdoor recreation with urban living. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,181, and housing options span from downtown communities to suburban neighborhoods. The western part of the city, built along the Red Valley between the Black Hills foothills and Dakota Hogback, features hillside residences, while the eastern section extends through Rapid Creek's valley. Notable residential areas include the northern corridor near Interstate 90 and the southern neighborhoods overlooking the Black Hills.

Downtown Rapid City showcases public art through Art Alley and the City of Presidents tour, which displays bronze statues of U.S. presidents throughout the streets. The city offers easy access to Dinosaur Park, Story Book Island, and the Journey Museum and Gardens. Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, and Badlands National Park are all within driving distance. The presence of South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and Ellsworth Air Force Base contributes to the community's diversity. Rent prices have remained stable, with minimal changes of 0.1% to 0.6% across different unit sizes, making the area an affordable option for renters.

Explore the City

It's common to see people walking their dog at Sioux Park in Rapid City.

The famous Mount Rushmore is just a short drive from Ashland Heights.

West Rapid City offers a small town suburban homes like foursquare and craftsman's.

Rent Trends

As of November 2025, the average apartment rent in Rapid City, SD is $886 for a studio, $1,172 for one bedroom, $1,309 for two bedrooms, and $1,580 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Rapid City has decreased by -0.7% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$1,172/month
714 Sq Ft
House
$1,949/month
1,518 Sq Ft
Townhome
$1,750/month
1,207 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Rapid City, SD

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Rapid City, SD is 4.1% lower than the national average. Generally, housing in Rapid City is 8.6% less expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $886 - $1,580. You can expect to pay 1.5% more for groceries, 12.7% less for utilities, and 0.3% less for transportation.

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Transportation

39

Car-Dependent

out of 100 WalkScore® Rating

This area is considered a car-dependent area and most errands will require a car.

40

Somewhat Bikeable

out of 100 BikeScore® Rating

You might be able to find places to ride your bike in this area, but you’ll most likely want your car for most errands.

Schools

Corral Drive Elementary - 21

Public

Grades K-5

461 Students

Pinedale Elementary - 11

Public

Grades K-5

365 Students

Meadowbrook Elementary - 10

Public

Grades K-5

464 Students

Valley View Elementary - 13

Public

Grades K-5

581 Students

Grandview Elementary - 06

Public

Grades K-5

406 Students

Southwest Middle School - 38

Public

Grades 6-8

660 Students

West Middle School - 37

Public

Grades 6-8

612 Students

South Middle School - 36

Public

Grades 6-8

553 Students

North Middle School - 35

Public

Grades 6-8

513 Students

Dakota Middle School - 31

Public

Grades 6-8

664 Students

Stevens High School - 42

Public

Grades 9-12

1,686 Students

Central High School - 41

Public

Grades 9-12

1,768 Students

Kibben-Kuster - 52

Public

Grades PK-12

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Museum of Geology
  • The Journey Museum
  • The Outdoor Campus - West
  • Reptile Gardens
  • Black Hills Caverns

Airports

  • Rapid City Regional

Colleges

Top Apartments in Rapid City

Houses for Rent in Rapid City

Property Management Companies in Rapid City, SD

Living in Rapid City

History

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Rapid City is a centuries-old product of the gold rush, first established by settlers and minors who started flooding into the area in the late 1800s. Unfortunately, while no major amounts of gold or millionaire claims were actually found by many, the area became a stopping point for farmers, ranchers, railroad, and merchants. As the population grew, a town started to develop. Rapid City survived into 1900 and became firmly entrenched as a major transportation center and stop for river craft, railroad, and wagon.

Parks

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For those who like the outdoors, Rapid City is a great location to have as home base. With the Black Hills Forest literally right next door, hiking, climbing, mountain biking, camping and walking recreation are literally available most of the year. Furthermore, the Rapid City downtown has plenty to entertain with including restaurants, shops, a main street zone, and plenty of entertainment.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally often brings in riders from nearby states utilizing hotels and restaurants while in the area. Mount Rushmore visitors create a big traffic flow during the spring and summer from all over the country. And they are added to in number by tourists also wanting to see the Custer State Park, the old west town of Deadwood, and the Crazy Horse Memorial as well. This is all in addition to the regular parks that are situated in town itself.

Cost

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The city has a number of apartment complexes available. Almost all the complexes offer units ranging from one to three bedrooms, with the larger apartments taking up the higher end of the rent spectrum. Given the size of the town and the number of apartments available, folks should have no problem finding a place to settle down in when first arriving.

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Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in November 2025.