Rapid City leans heavily Republican by roughly 34 points: about 33% of voters vote Democratic and 67% Republican.
About 88% of adults in Rapid City typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Rapid City, ~29% vote Democratic, ~59% Republican, and ~12% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Rapid City compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Rapid City leans more Republican than 28 of 42 neighbors.
Rapid City runs about 32 points more Republican than Michigan as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Rapid City. The southeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+45) and the northwest side is the least Republican-leaning (R+18), a spread of about 27 points.
Why Rapid City leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Rapid City. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Park access and Republican lean
Places with low park coverage tend to lean Republican; Rapid City, MI sits below the national average on this measure. Park access does not change how people vote; it tends to track denser, higher-income areas.
Why turnout in Rapid City looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Rapid City is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 68%, about 8 points above the U.S. average of 60%. Homeowners vote more often than renters, and about 90% of households in Rapid City own their home, about 15 points above the U.S. average of 75%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Torch River, MI R+16
- Alden, MI R+21
- Clam River, MI R+17
- Elk Rapids, MI Even
- Williamsburg, MI R+8
- Kalkaska, MI R+39
- Bates, MI R+5
- Bellaire, MI R+9
- North Arms, MI R+6
- Yuba, MI D+12
Cities with Similar Populations
- Spencer, NY R+22
- Port Allegany, PA R+52
- Colby, WI R+41
- Petersburg, AK R+4
- Guin, AL R+76
- Wellfleet, MA D+50
- Sharpsburg, PA D+26
- Dulce, NM D+36
- Millersburg, OR R+38
- Medinah, IL R+4
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Michigan Department of State, Elections, distributed by the Voting and Election Science Team. Demographic inputs come from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates and the 2020 Decennial Census). Health and environmental inputs come from the CDC (PLACES and the Environmental Justice Index). Land cover comes from the USGS and EPA. Election-day and lead-up weather come from PRISM 4km daily grids and the NOAA Global Historical Climatology Network. Mail-voting and election-administration patterns come from the MIT Election Lab's Survey of the Performance of American Elections. Block-group crime detail comes from CrimeGrade. Internet data and modeling support provided by ISPreports.org.
Modeling and analysis by the BestNeighborhood data science team. Full methodology and findings: political spectrum map.
Methodology reviewed by the BestNeighborhood data team. Last updated May 2026.