Population 86,687 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rapid City
Household size in Rapid City
| Period | Rapid City | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.35 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.40 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.36 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.48 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Rapid City is a place of small households, averaging 2.36 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Households are largest in the south and smallest in the center.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.2 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.4 | 38.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.2 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.8 | 38.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.6 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
At 40.8, the median age in Rapid City is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is older than in South Dakota overall, where the median age is 38.9. The median age has climbed from 38.2 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Rapid City (10.7%), close to the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.1 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.7% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.1% | 32.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.1% | 32.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.1% | 31.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | +0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Rapid City is about as common as it is nationally: 33.1% of households rent, against 34.8%. About four in ten owners (40.7%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southwest. The renter share has fallen 3.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 10.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.2% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.1% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Rapid City is close to the national rate: 10.1% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Vacancy is up 1.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1977 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +9 | +6 |
The typical home in Rapid City was built around 1983, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1976 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $801 | $631 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $855 | $692 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $935 | $798 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,199 | $1,000 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$398 | +$369 | +$606 |
The median renter in Rapid City pays $1,199 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in South Dakota overall ($1,000). Rents are up $398 a month from 2006–10, a 50% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.2% of the typical renter's income, just over 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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.2% | 26.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.5% | 27.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.1% | 29.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.0% | 32.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Rapid City as nationally: 37.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is higher than in South Dakota overall (32.5%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.8 points, mirroring the country.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.9% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.7% | 91.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.4% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.8% | 93.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Rapid City: 94.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 3.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 4.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 4.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 3.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.9% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Rapid City has been strong: just 2.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.8 points, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 | 2.36 | 40.8 | 10.7% | 33.1% | 10.1% | 1983 | $1,199 | 37.0% | 94.8% | 2.9% |
| Sulphur | 2.62 | 43.3 | 14.7% | 35.9% | 2.8% | 2005 | $1,095 | 21.4% | 94.1% | 3.6% |
| Rapid Valley | 2.27 | 39.5 | 6.0% | 15.4% | 6.7% | 1995 | $1,368 | 25.6% | 93.5% | 3.9% |
| Ashland Heights | 3.16 | 53.8 | 8.6% | 3.8% | 5.9% | 1961 | $1,248 | 13.3% | 97.3% | 22.7% |
| Black Hawk | 2.32 | 46.9 | 4.9% | 17.8% | 2.6% | 1990 | $1,178 | 24.2% | 97.6% | 3.7% |
| Box Elder | 2.82 | 33.1 | 12.6% | 37.9% | 9.4% | 1994 | $1,400 | 24.7% | 90.8% | 5.9% |
| Johnson Siding | 2.34 | 56.0 | 5.7% | 7.5% | 23.0% | 1979 | $1,056 | 44.6% | 97.6% | 1.1% |
| Summerset | 2.50 | 42.8 | 6.1% | 11.2% | 1.4% | 1995 | $1,139 | 29.6% | 97.2% | 3.2% |
| Ellsworth Afb | 2.87 | 23.8 | 9.3% | 85.7% | 12.4% | 2005 | $1,643 | 33.3% | 96.1% | 3.2% |
| Piedmont | 2.48 | 43.6 | 9.5% | 9.0% | 9.1% | 1994 | $1,045 | 30.3% | 97.1% | 1.7% |
| Bethlehem | 2.47 | 45.4 | 8.3% | 8.6% | 12.6% | 1995 | $885 | 34.3% | 94.8% | 0.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Pomona, CA · Ponce, PR · Pompano Beach, FL · Oxnard, CA · Pacoima, CA · Pawtucket, RI · Pasadena, TX · Parker, CO · Palm Bay, FL · Parma, OH
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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