Life in Rapid City research summary. HomeSnacks has been using Saturday Night Science to research the quality of life in Rapid City over the past nine years using Census, FBI, Zillow, and other primary data sources. Based on the most recently available data, we found the following about life in Rapid City:
The population in Rapid City is 76,836.
The median home value in Rapid City is $358,222.
The median income in Rapid City is $65,712.
The cost of living in Rapid City is 96 which is 1.0x lower than the national average.
The median rent in Rapid City is $1,053.
The unemployment rate in Rapid City is 3.2%.
The poverty rate in Rapid City is 13.3%.
The average high in Rapid City is 59.3° and the average low is 35.1°.
Crime in Rapid City summary. We use data from the FBI to determine the crime rates in Rapid City. Key points include:
There were 3,652 total crimes in Rapid City in the last reporting year.
The overall crime rate per 100,000 people in Rapid City is 4,511.0 / 100k people.
The violent crime rate per 100,000 people in Rapid City is 718.9 / 100k people.
The property crime rate per 100,000 people in Rapid City is 3,792.1 / 100k people.
Overall, crime in Rapid City is 112.86% above the national average.
| Statistic | Count Raw |
Rapid City / 100k People |
South Dakota / 100k People |
National / 100k People |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Crimes Per 100K | 3,652 | 4,511.0 | 1,948.3 | 2,119.2 |
| Violent Crime | 582 | 718.9 | 362.3 | 359.0 |
| Murder | 5 | 6.2 | 4.7 | 5.0 |
| Robbery | 84 | 103.8 | 22.6 | 61.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 383 | 473.1 | 283.6 | 256.0 |
| Property Crime | 3,070 | 3,792.1 | 1,586.0 | 1,760.0 |
| Burglary | 346 | 427.4 | 194.7 | 229.0 |
| Larceny | 2,418 | 2,986.8 | 1,195.5 | 1,272.0 |
| Car Theft | 306 | 378.0 | 195.9 | 259.0 |
Cost of living in Rapid City summary. We use data on the cost of living to determine how expensive it is to live in Rapid City. Real estate prices drive most of the variance in cost of living around South Dakota. Key points include:
The cost of living in Rapid City is 96 with 100 being average.
The cost of living in Rapid City is 1.0x lower than the national average.
The median home value in Rapid City is $358,222.
The median income in Rapid City is $65,712.
| Living Expense | Rapid City | South Dakota | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 96 | 88 | 100 | |
| Services | 100 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 98 | 100 | |
| Health | 97 | 100 | 100 | |
| Housing | 103 | 78 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 104 | 95 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 91 | 89 | 100 | |
The average high in Rapid City is 59.3° and the average low is 35.1°.
There are 42.3 days of precipitation each year.
Expect an average of 18.6 inches of precipitation each year with 42.3 inches of snow.
| Stat | Rapid City |
|---|---|
| Average Annual High | 59.3 |
| Average Annual Low | 35.1 |
| Annual Precipitation Days | 42.3 |
| Average Annual Precipitation | 18.6 |
| Average Annual Snowfall | 42.3 |
Downtown is beautiful and there are plenty of things to do in the Black Hills. The schools are nice and the city is relatively safe. The scenery is absolutely beautiful.
Love the revamped downtown, hiking trails on 'M' hill and Dinosaur Park. Lots of things to do with kids. And when you really want to get out, just go out to the Black Hills or Badlands.
The current population in Rapid City is 76,836. The population has increased 16.2% from 2010.
| Year | Population | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 76,836 | 1.6% |
| 2022 | 75,632 | 2.3% |
| 2021 | 73,942 | -3.4% |
| 2020 | 76,541 | 1.7% |
| 2019 | 75,258 | 2.1% |
| 2018 | 73,721 | 1.2% |
| 2017 | 72,841 | 0.6% |
| 2016 | 72,441 | 1.0% |
| 2015 | 71,692 | 2.2% |
| 2014 | 70,126 | 1.6% |
| 2013 | 69,000 | 1.4% |
| 2012 | 68,060 | 1.3% |
| 2011 | 67,193 | 1.6% |
| 2010 | 66,144 | - |
76.8% White with 59,003 White residents.
1.5% African American with 1,177 African American residents.
7.1% American Indian with 5,491 American Indian residents.
1.3% Asian with 982 Asian residents.
0.0% Hawaiian with 21 Hawaiian residents.
0.6% Other with 449 Other residents.
7.1% Two Or More with 5,425 Two Or More residents.
5.6% Hispanic with 4,288 Hispanic residents.
| Race | Rapid City | SD | USA |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 76.8% | 80.3% | 58.2% |
| African American | 1.5% | 2.2% | 12.0% |
| American Indian | 7.1% | 7.4% | 0.5% |
| Asian | 1.3% | 1.4% | 5.7% |
| Hawaiian | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Other | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Two Or More | 7.1% | 3.9% | 3.9% |
| Hispanic | 5.6% | 4.6% | 19.0% |
Rapid City is 49.3% female with 37,877 female residents.
Rapid City is 50.7% male with 38,959 male residents.
| Gender | Rapid City | SD | USA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 49.3% | 49.3% | 50.5% |
| Male | 50.7% | 50.7% | 49.5% |
2.0% of adults in Rapid City completed < 9th grade.
4.0% of adults in Rapid City completed 9-12th grade.
26.0% of adults in Rapid City completed high school / ged.
22.0% of adults in Rapid City completed some college.
10.0% of adults in Rapid City completed associate's degree.
23.0% of adults in Rapid City completed bachelor's degree.
8.0% of adults in Rapid City completed master's degree.
3.0% of adults in Rapid City completed professional degree.
2.0% of adults in Rapid City completed doctorate degree.
| Education | Rapid City | SD | USA |
|---|---|---|---|
| < 9th Grade | 2.0% | 3.0% | 5.0% |
| 9-12th Grade | 4.0% | 4.0% | 6.0% |
| High School / GED | 26.0% | 29.0% | 26.0% |
| Some College | 22.0% | 20.0% | 19.0% |
| Associate's Degree | 10.0% | 12.0% | 9.0% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 23.0% | 22.0% | 21.0% |
| Master's Degree | 8.0% | 7.0% | 10.0% |
| Professional Degree | 3.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% |
| Doctorate Degree | 2.0% | 1.0% | 2.0% |
3.9% of households in Rapid City earn Less than $10,000.
4.9% of households in Rapid City earn $10,000 to $14,999.
8.9% of households in Rapid City earn $15,000 to $24,999.
8.4% of households in Rapid City earn $25,000 to $34,999.
12.1% of households in Rapid City earn $35,000 to $49,999.
17.7% of households in Rapid City earn $50,000 to $74,999.
14.7% of households in Rapid City earn $75,000 to $99,999.
15.5% of households in Rapid City earn $100,000 to $149,999.
6.0% of households in Rapid City earn $150,000 to $199,999.
7.8% of households in Rapid City earn $200,000 or more.
| Income | Rapid City | SD | USA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than $10,000 | 3.9% | 4.0% | 4.9% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 4.9% | 3.4% | 3.6% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 8.9% | 7.1% | 6.6% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 8.4% | 7.5% | 6.8% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 12.1% | 11.9% | 10.4% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 17.7% | 17.8% | 15.7% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 14.7% | 14.6% | 12.7% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 15.5% | 18.2% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 6.0% | 8.1% | 9.3% |
| $200,000 or more | 7.8% | 7.4% | 12.6% |