Rapid City, SD Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Rapid City, SD Summary
Cost of living in Rapid City research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Rapid City is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in South Dakota, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Rapid City is 96, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Rapid City is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Rapid City ranks as the #13 cheapest in South Dakota out of 19.
Rapid City ranks as the #2,104 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Rapid City is $358,222.
The median income in Rapid City is $65,712.
Table Of Contents
Rapid City's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Rapid City, SD?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Rapid City has an overall cost of living index of 96, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to South Dakota, Rapid City has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than South Dakota's index of 88.
The standard of living in Rapid City ranks as #13 most affordable out of the 19 places we measured in South Dakota. By definition, that implies Rapid City ranks as the #6 most expensive place in the Mount Rushmore State.
For more reading on life in Rapid City, check out:
In South Dakota
In America
Rapid City Cost Of Living Vs. South Dakota
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Rapid City. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Rapid City is 100.
The Groceries index in Rapid City is 99.
The Health index in Rapid City is 97.
The Housing index in Rapid City is 103.
The Transportation index in Rapid City is 104.
The Utilities index in Rapid City is 91.
| 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 | |
Rapid City, SD Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in South Dakota, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Rapid City is $358,222.
The Median Rent in Rapid City is $1,053.
The Median Income in Rapid City is $65,712.
The Home Value To Income in Rapid City is 5.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Rapid City is 0.19x.
| Statistic | Rapid City | South Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $358,222 | $315,406 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,053 | $912 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $65,712 | $72,421 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.5x | 4.4x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.19x | 0.15x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Rapid City, SD Costs By Category
Detailed Rapid City Services Costs Vs. South Dakota
| Item | Rapid City | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.22 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.69 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $19.55 | $18 |
| Haircut | $28.63 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $42.85 | $45.56 |
Detailed Rapid City Groceries Costs Vs. South Dakota
| Item | Rapid City | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.37 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.32 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.71 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.42 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.6 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.34 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.46 | $3.7 |
Detailed Rapid City Health Costs Vs. South Dakota
| Item | Rapid City | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $135.93 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $154.12 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $109.45 | $113.29 |
Detailed Rapid City Transportation Costs Vs. South Dakota
| Item | Rapid City | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.65 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $58.31 | $59.92 |
Detailed Rapid City Utilities Costs Vs. South Dakota
| Item | Rapid City | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $158.39 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $194.38 | $192.25 |
Rapid City SnackAbility
/10
