Population 3,424 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rapid City
Household size in Rapid City
| Period | Rapid City | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.34 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.33 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.46 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.31 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Rapid City are small: just 2.31 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Rapid City
| Period | Rapid City | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.1 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.7 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
Rapid City skews older: half of its residents are older than 46.7, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 44.0, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Rapid City
| Period | Rapid City | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Rapid City (9.5%), below the national share of 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Rapid City
Renters in Rapid City
| Period | Rapid City | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.0% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.2% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 10.2% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.8 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 10.2% of households in Rapid City rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly four in ten owners (38.5%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Rapid City
| Period | Rapid City | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.6% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 36.1% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 34.3% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.6% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.0 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 27.6% of the housing in Rapid City, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Rapid City
| Period | Rapid City | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +3 | +6 |
Homes in Rapid City are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1982, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in Michigan as a whole, where the median home dates to 1972.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Rapid City
| Period | Rapid City | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $792 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $717 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $761 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $923 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$131 | +$395 | +$606 |
The median renter in Rapid City pays $923 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 19.3% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Rapid City
Bachelor's degrees in Rapid City
| Period | Rapid City | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.4% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.7% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.2% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.8% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.4 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Rapid City than nationally: 28.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Rapid City
| Period | Rapid City | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.0% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.2% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.2% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Rapid City: 94.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Rapid City
| Period | Rapid City | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.8% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 15.6% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −15.0 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Rapid City has been low: just 2.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Rapid City compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | 2.31 | 46.7 | 9.5% | 10.2% | 27.6% | 1982 | $923 | 28.8% | 94.3% | 2.8% |
| Torch River | 2.21 | 54.1 | 7.7% | 8.6% | 41.2% | 1981 | $876 | 45.1% | 96.7% | 2.6% |
| Alden | 2.11 | 53.7 | 6.6% | 14.0% | 35.9% | 1980 | $833 | 36.7% | 94.8% | 3.9% |
| Clam River | 2.17 | 58.1 | 9.5% | 7.5% | 45.8% | 1984 | $1,248 | 41.9% | 94.1% | 2.6% |
| Elk Rapids | 1.86 | 57.8 | 5.2% | 20.3% | 32.2% | 1967 | $1,030 | 43.4% | 98.3% | 1.1% |
| Williamsburg | 2.44 | 49.6 | 6.8% | 8.9% | 23.2% | 1986 | $1,308 | 47.7% | 96.8% | 3.0% |
| Kalkaska | 2.26 | 45.6 | 11.4% | 15.1% | 25.2% | 1979 | $842 | 17.7% | 91.2% | 4.1% |
| Bates | 2.62 | 43.5 | 12.7% | 12.5% | 12.4% | 1986 | $1,429 | 40.7% | 97.5% | 1.0% |
| Bellaire | 2.03 | 56.1 | 7.8% | 11.8% | 42.9% | 1977 | $837 | 42.8% | 96.9% | 3.8% |
| North Arms | 1.92 | 56.1 | 12.2% | 17.9% | 32.8% | 1973 | $823 | 46.8% | 96.6% | 3.2% |
| Yuba | 2.35 | 59.9 | 3.9% | 0.9% | 13.0% | 1993 | $1,523 | 67.8% | 97.1% | 0.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Bon Secour, AL · Naches, WA · Morenci, MI · Medinah, IL · Lucerne, CA · London, AR · Kiowa, CO · Kingston, OH · Jesup, IA · Guin, AL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Rapid City. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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