Compare Black Hills Communities
25 towns and unincorporated communities. Pick two to four and the full table appears underneath. Commutes are driving times to the Ellsworth main gate and downtown Rapid City. Median sold prices, where we have them, come from the MLS over the trailing twelve months with the source, window and sale count printed under each figure. Typical price bands are practical search ranges, not medians, and are labelled separately.
0 of 25 communities
Price filters only consider communities with a published trailing twelve month median, so towns without one do not appear in a price filter.
The five facts that decide a shortlist
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Between Black Hawk, Hot Springs
The rows below are the ones where these do not read the same. Ordered as the table runs, not by importance.
- Region
- Black HawkRapid City and the Ellsworth corridorHot SpringsCentral and Southern Hills
- County
- Black HawkMeade CountyHot SpringsFall River County
- Jurisdiction
- Black HawkUnincorporated Meade CountyHot SpringsNot recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.
- Corridor
- Black HawkI-90Hot SpringsUS-79 and US-18
- To downtown Rapid City
- Black HawkAbout 12 to 15 minutesHot SpringsAbout 60 minutes
- To Ellsworth AFB
- Black HawkAbout 30 minutes, the same I-90 run as Summerset just northHot SpringsAbout an hour and fifteen minutes
Black Hawk, Hot Springs
Rows marked as differing are the ones where these do not read alike. Rows without the mark sit on a quiet background because they say the same thing in every column.
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | ||
| Regiondiffers | Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor | Central and Southern Hills |
| Countydiffers | Meade County | Fall River County |
| JurisdictiondiffersCity versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work. | Unincorporated Meade County | Not recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground. |
| Corridordiffers | I-90 | US-79 and US-18 |
| To downtown Rapid Citydiffers | About 12 to 15 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. | About 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| To Ellsworth AFBdiffers | About 30 minutes, the same I-90 run as Summerset just northDriving time and distance, off peak. | About an hour and fifteen minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| Winter drivingdiffers | The road out front may be maintained publicly or by the neighborhood, so ask who plows before you buy. | Chinook favored foothills make winters here warmer and drier than the northern Hills, so there is less snow to move. |
| Housing and lots | ||
| Typical pricediffers | Unincorporated, so closings report under Rapid City and Meade County rather than a Black Hawk median. Lot size and outbuildings move the price more than the street does. | Median sold $315,150Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 24 closed sales. |
| Housing agediffers | Mixed street to street, sometimes neighbor to neighbor | Older homes near downtown, acreage outside it |
| New constructiondiffers | Limited, mostly infill and small projects | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Check current permits with the city or county. |
| Acreagediffers | Larger lots and acre properties are part of the Black Hawk market, including properties with room for shops and outbuildings. | Acreage is common outside the town core and is one of the more accessible rural-property options in the southern Black Hills. |
| Typical lotdiffers | Bigger lots, with shop space and outbuildings normal | Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions. |
| Covenants and HOAdiffersCovenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel. | Recorded covenants on some plats, none on othersRecorded covenants vary by subdivision and should be checked for the specific property. | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat. |
| Utilities and rules | ||
| Utility patterndiffers | Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify water and sewer service for the address. |
| Waterdiffers | Black Hawk Water User District | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the provider for the address. |
| Sewerdiffers | Black Hawk Sanitary District serves roughly 200 homes and businesses; properties outside the district are on private septic | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the service for the address. |
| Short term rentalsdiffers | No municipal short term rental ordinance, because there is no municipality. State licensing still applies, and the subdivision covenant usually decides. | No city ordinance I can locate as of August 2026, and unincorporated Fall River County does not administer zoning districts, so the county building, septic and access permits are the controls that apply. |
| Schools | ||
| School districtdiffers | Rapid City Area Schools 51-4 for most addressesAssignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district. | Hot Springs School District 23-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district. |
| Daily errands | ||
| Groceriesdiffers | No full-service grocery store is in Black Hawk. Most larger grocery trips go into Rapid City. | Full-service grocery options in town include Sonny's Super Foods and Lynn's Dakotamart. |
| Healthcarediffers | Monument Health Rapid City Hospital | Fall River Health Services operates a hospital, 24-hour emergency department and rural health clinic in Hot Springs. |
| Recreationdiffers | Piedmont and the Stagebarn area are just north, with the central hills close enough for a half day. | Evans Plunge, the city run mineral springs pool, the Mammoth Site dig in the middle of town, Wind Cave National Park about 11 miles out and Angostura Reservoir about 10 miles for lake days. |
| Mapped subdivisions | ||
| Outlines on filediffers | 12 mapped outlines, 5 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls. | No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet. |
| The trade | ||
| Housing and patterndiffers | Unincorporated foothills pockets where lot size, home age and outbuildings change from one parcel to the next. | A sandstone downtown built along the Fall River, with Evans Plunge and Angostura close and water in every direction. |
| What you gaindiffers | Bigger lots, room for a shop, and about 12 to 15 minutes to downtown Rapid City, without a city hall setting the local rules. | Chinook favored foothills that keep winters warmer and drier than the northern Hills, a sandstone downtown on the Fall River, and acreage minutes out of town at a $315,150 median. |
| What you give updiffers | There is no city hall, so the subdivision covenant decides what you can build or rent, and water, sewer and road maintenance all change parcel to parcel. | Rapid City is about an hour on US-79 and US-18, which is a lot of highway for a daily commute. |
Where it sits
Regiondiffers
- Black Hawk
- Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
- Hot Springs
- Central and Southern Hills
Countydiffers
- Black Hawk
- Meade County
- Hot Springs
- Fall River County
Jurisdictiondiffers
City versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.- Black Hawk
- Unincorporated Meade County
- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.
Corridordiffers
- Black Hawk
- I-90
- Hot Springs
- US-79 and US-18
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers
- Black Hawk
- About 12 to 15 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Hot Springs
- About 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers
- Black Hawk
- About 30 minutes, the same I-90 run as Summerset just northDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Hot Springs
- About an hour and fifteen minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
Winter drivingdiffers
- Black Hawk
- The road out front may be maintained publicly or by the neighborhood, so ask who plows before you buy.
- Hot Springs
- Chinook favored foothills make winters here warmer and drier than the northern Hills, so there is less snow to move.
Housing and lots
Typical pricediffers
- Black Hawk
- Unincorporated, so closings report under Rapid City and Meade County rather than a Black Hawk median. Lot size and outbuildings move the price more than the street does.
- Hot Springs
- Median sold $315,150Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 24 closed sales.
Housing agediffers
- Black Hawk
- Mixed street to street, sometimes neighbor to neighbor
- Hot Springs
- Older homes near downtown, acreage outside it
New constructiondiffers
- Black Hawk
- Limited, mostly infill and small projects
- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Check current permits with the city or county.
Acreagediffers
- Black Hawk
- Larger lots and acre properties are part of the Black Hawk market, including properties with room for shops and outbuildings.
- Hot Springs
- Acreage is common outside the town core and is one of the more accessible rural-property options in the southern Black Hills.
Typical lotdiffers
- Black Hawk
- Bigger lots, with shop space and outbuildings normal
- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions.
Covenants and HOAdiffers
Covenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel.- Black Hawk
- Recorded covenants on some plats, none on othersRecorded covenants vary by subdivision and should be checked for the specific property.
- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat.
Utilities and rules
Utility patterndiffers
- Black Hawk
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify water and sewer service for the address.
Waterdiffers
- Black Hawk
- Black Hawk Water User District
- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the provider for the address.
Sewerdiffers
- Black Hawk
- Black Hawk Sanitary District serves roughly 200 homes and businesses; properties outside the district are on private septic
- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the service for the address.
Short term rentalsdiffers
- Black Hawk
- No municipal short term rental ordinance, because there is no municipality. State licensing still applies, and the subdivision covenant usually decides.
- Hot Springs
- No city ordinance I can locate as of August 2026, and unincorporated Fall River County does not administer zoning districts, so the county building, septic and access permits are the controls that apply.
Schools
School districtdiffers
- Black Hawk
- Rapid City Area Schools 51-4 for most addressesAssignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
- Hot Springs
- Hot Springs School District 23-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Daily errands
Groceriesdiffers
- Black Hawk
- No full-service grocery store is in Black Hawk. Most larger grocery trips go into Rapid City.
- Hot Springs
- Full-service grocery options in town include Sonny's Super Foods and Lynn's Dakotamart.
Healthcarediffers
- Black Hawk
- Monument Health Rapid City Hospital
- Hot Springs
- Fall River Health Services operates a hospital, 24-hour emergency department and rural health clinic in Hot Springs.
Recreationdiffers
- Black Hawk
- Piedmont and the Stagebarn area are just north, with the central hills close enough for a half day.
- Hot Springs
- Evans Plunge, the city run mineral springs pool, the Mammoth Site dig in the middle of town, Wind Cave National Park about 11 miles out and Angostura Reservoir about 10 miles for lake days.
Mapped subdivisions
Outlines on filediffers
- Black Hawk
- 12 mapped outlines, 5 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls.
- Hot Springs
- No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.
The trade
Housing and patterndiffers
- Black Hawk
- Unincorporated foothills pockets where lot size, home age and outbuildings change from one parcel to the next.
- Hot Springs
- A sandstone downtown built along the Fall River, with Evans Plunge and Angostura close and water in every direction.
What you gaindiffers
- Black Hawk
- Bigger lots, room for a shop, and about 12 to 15 minutes to downtown Rapid City, without a city hall setting the local rules.
- Hot Springs
- Chinook favored foothills that keep winters warmer and drier than the northern Hills, a sandstone downtown on the Fall River, and acreage minutes out of town at a $315,150 median.
What you give updiffers
- Black Hawk
- There is no city hall, so the subdivision covenant decides what you can build or rent, and water, sewer and road maintenance all change parcel to parcel.
- Hot Springs
- Rapid City is about an hour on US-79 and US-18, which is a lot of highway for a daily commute.
Commute figures are driving times off peak, from the community guide each card links to. Median sold prices come from the MLS, and each figure carries its own source, window and closing count, because Sturgis, Spearfish and the northern hills report through a different MLS than Rapid City. Under five closings there is no median, and the price row says so. Five to nine closings carries a small sample note. School districts follow the official boundary for the address, and the district office is the only place to confirm an assignment. Short term rental lines are summaries. Read the guide and the current ordinance before you count on rental income.
The filters use these definitions: under $400k is the MLS sold figure for the town, a median where one is published and otherwise the average sold, comes in under $400,000; close to ellsworth is 25 minutes or less to the Ellsworth main gate; close to rapid city is 20 minutes or less to downtown Rapid City; short commute is 15 minutes or less to either downtown Rapid City or the Ellsworth gate; new construction available is the guide establishes active or limited new construction; acreage available is acreage is common or present in the guide; city water and sewer is city water and sewer across the community; smaller market is fewer than 100 closed single family sales in the trailing twelve months; more rural is acreage is common, or water and sewer are not municipal throughout; established housing is the guide classifies the housing stock as established, meaning largely pre 2000; newer housing is the guide classifies a meaningful share of the housing stock as 2000s or later.
Every row here is a townwide summary and a single parcel can read differently. Buyer due diligence should include verifying water and sewer service, school assignment, recorded covenants and HOA obligations, rental rules, legal access, insurance availability and which jurisdiction inspects and permits the work, for the exact address. Confirm with the city or county, the utility or district, the school district office, the title company and your insurer as applicable.
Last updated August 2026
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