Best Life Index › States › South Dakota › Cities › Rapid City

South Dakota city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Rapid City?

What it costs to live in Rapid City, and how it compares with other South Dakota cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

22

7th best value in South Dakota

How much you get for what you pay, versus other South Dakota cities.

Overall livability

29

7th overall in South Dakota

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Rapid City is home to about 73,942 people. A typical home runs $208,400 and a household earns around $58,100, a price-to-income ratio of 3.6. Among South Dakota's cities, it ranks 7th for value and 7th overall.

Rapid City at a glance

Median home price

$208,400

6th in SD of 7

Median rent

$898/mo

Median household income

$58,100

Home price to income

3.6x

Unemployment

3.2%

5th in SD of 7

School rating

4/10

4th in SD of 7

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in SD of 7

Walk score

8/100

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‹ See all top South Dakota cities ranked  ยท  South Dakota state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within South Dakota only. Updated 2026.