Relocation

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.

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6 of 25 communities

Under $400k Close to Ellsworth Close to Rapid City Short commute New construction available Acreage available City water and sewer Smaller market More rural Established housing Newer housing Clear filters Clear everything

Price filters only consider communities with a published trailing twelve month median, so towns without one do not appear in a price filter.

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The five facts that decide a shortlist

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Selected, 2 of 4

Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor

Everything within about twenty five minutes of downtown Rapid City or the Ellsworth main gate, where most of the newer inventory, the shortest commutes and the jurisdiction questions about city versus county service are.

Black Hawk
Typical price
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.
To Ellsworth AFB
About 30 minutes, the same I-90 run as Summerset just northDriving time and distance, off peak.
To downtown Rapid City
About 12 to 15 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
Utility pattern
Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
School district
Rapid City Area Schools 51-4 for most addressesAssignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Selected Guide
Box Elder
Typical price
$340k to $400kMedian sold $367,000. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 235 closed sales.
To Ellsworth AFB
9 min, 2.3 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
To downtown Rapid City
19 min, 10.9 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
Utility pattern
City water and sewer inside the limits
School district
Douglas School District 51-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
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Green Valley
Typical price
No published median exists for the community. Closed sales on the specific street are the only figure worth quoting here.
To Ellsworth AFB
About 15 minutes northDriving time and distance, off peak.
To downtown Rapid City
About 6 miles northwestDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
Utility pattern
Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
School district
Split between Douglas 51-1 and Rapid City Area 51-4. Address specific.Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
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Rapid City
Typical price
$300k to $450kMedian sold $349,950. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 706 closed sales.
To Ellsworth AFB
24 min, 13.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
To downtown Rapid City
5 min, 1.5 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
Utility pattern
City water and sewer inside the limits
School district
Rapid City Area Schools 51-4Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
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Rapid Valley
Typical price
About $350,000 average sold, 274 sales over 12 monthsAverage sold $349,971. Black Hills MLS, single family, 12 months through August 2026, as of August 2026. 274 closed sales.
To Ellsworth AFB
22 min, 10.4 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
To downtown Rapid City
11 min, 5.2 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
Utility pattern
Utility service varies by address. Rapid Valley Sanitary District serves portions of the area, while properties outside district service may use private wells and septic systems.
School district
Mostly Rapid City Area School District 51-4, with portions in Douglas 51-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Selected Guide
Summerset
Typical price
Builder inventory sets the level here, and the MLS publishes no Summerset median on its own.
To Ellsworth AFB
30 min, 19.2 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
To downtown Rapid City
15 min, 10.0 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
Utility pattern
Sewer collection is provided by the City of Summerset. Water service varies by address and can include Black Hawk Water User District or Diamond D Water in Sun Valley.
School district
Meade 46-1 and Rapid City Area Schools 51-4, split within the cityAssignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
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What changes

Between Black Hawk, Rapid Valley

The rows below are the ones where these do not read the same. Ordered as the table runs, not by importance.

County: Black HawkMeade CountyRapid ValleyPennington County
Jurisdiction: Black HawkUnincorporated Meade CountyRapid ValleyUnincorporated. There is no city government. Pennington County is the governing body, and Rapid City's subdivision rules still apply within three miles of the city limits.
Corridor: Black HawkI-90Rapid ValleySD 44 and Elk Vale Road
To downtown Rapid City: Black HawkAbout 12 to 15 minutesRapid Valley11 min, 5.2 mi
To Ellsworth AFB: Black HawkAbout 30 minutes, the same I-90 run as Summerset just northRapid Valley22 min, 10.4 mi
Winter driving: Black HawkThe road out front may be maintained publicly or by the neighborhood, so ask who plows before you buy.Rapid ValleyHighway 44 and Elk Vale are state and county priorities. Interior subdivision streets are county maintained and clear after the arterials do.

Side by side

Black Hawk, Rapid Valley

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.

The selected Black Hills communities compared on location, housing, utilities, schools, daily errands, mapped subdivisions and the trade each one asks for
Attribute	Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorBlack Hawk	Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorRapid Valley
Where it sits
Region	Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor	Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
Countydiffers	Meade County	Pennington County
JurisdictiondiffersCity versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.	Unincorporated Meade County	Unincorporated. There is no city government. Pennington County is the governing body, and Rapid City's subdivision rules still apply within three miles of the city limits.
Corridordiffers	I-90	SD 44 and Elk Vale Road
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers	About 12 to 15 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.	11 min, 5.2 miDriving 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.	22 min, 10.4 miDriving 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.	Highway 44 and Elk Vale are state and county priorities. Interior subdivision streets are county maintained and clear after the arterials do.
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.	About $350,000 average sold, 274 sales over 12 monthsAverage sold $349,971. Black Hills MLS, single family, 12 months through August 2026, as of August 2026. 274 closed sales.
Housing agediffers	Mixed street to street, sometimes neighbor to neighbor	Mostly late twentieth century through current, with active building on the edges.
New constructiondiffers	Limited, mostly infill and small projects	Active, with subdivisions still building
Acreagediffers	Larger lots and acre properties are part of the Black Hawk market, including properties with room for shops and outbuildings.	Some acreage, mostly platted town lots
Typical lotdiffers	Bigger lots, with shop space and outbuildings normal	Suburban lots through the core, larger parcels toward Reservoir and Radar Hill Roads.
Covenants and HOACovenants 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.	Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others
Utilities and rules
Utility patterndiffers	Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it	Utility service varies by address. Rapid Valley Sanitary District serves portions of the area, while properties outside district service may use private wells and septic systems.
Waterdiffers	Black Hawk Water User District	Rapid Valley Sanitary District, treating Rapid Creek water at its own plant, with the ability to buy treated water from Rapid City at peak demand. Parcels outside the district are on private wells.
Sewerdiffers	Black Hawk Sanitary District serves roughly 200 homes and businesses; properties outside the district are on private septic	Rapid Valley Sanitary District owns and maintains the collection system, and Rapid City treats the wastewater under an intergovernmental agreement. Parcels outside the district are on private septic.
Fire protectiondiffersThe responding department and the distance to it both affect an insurance quote.	Not recorded townwide in this guide. Confirm the responding department by address.	Rapid Valley Volunteer Fire Department, which also provides EMS and wildland response.
Short term rentalsdiffers	No municipal short term rental ordinance, because there is no municipality. State licensing still applies, and the subdivision covenant usually decides.	Unincorporated Pennington County has no city short-term rental ordinance to comply with, which is not the same as no rules. County zoning and any subdivision covenants still govern, and state licensing applies.
Schools
School districtdiffers	Rapid City Area Schools 51-4 for most addressesAssignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.	Mostly Rapid City Area School District 51-4, with portions in Douglas 51-1Assignment 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.	Retail and everyday shopping run along Highway 44 on the southern edge, with additional grocery options a few minutes west in Rapid City.
Healthcarediffers	Monument Health Rapid City Hospital	Monument Health Rapid Valley Clinic provides primary and urgent care in the community. Hospital-level care is in Rapid City.
Recreationdiffers	Piedmont and the Stagebarn area are just north, with the central hills close enough for a half day.	Rapid Creek, the county parks east of town, and everything the Hills offer half an hour west.
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.	The region's largest unincorporated community: suburban streets, high ownership, county government.
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.	Rapid City schools and a five mile commute without Rapid City property taxes, plus a walk-in clinic in the neighborhood.
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.	No city services, a sanitary district bill instead of a city utility bill, and an annexation line that only the parcel record can settle.

Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorBlack Hawk
Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorRapid Valley

Where it sits

Region

Black Hawk: Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
Rapid Valley: Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor

Countydiffers

Black Hawk: Meade County
Rapid Valley: Pennington County

Jurisdictiondiffers

City versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.

Black Hawk: Unincorporated Meade County
Rapid Valley: Unincorporated. There is no city government. Pennington County is the governing body, and Rapid City's subdivision rules still apply within three miles of the city limits.

Corridordiffers

Black Hawk: I-90
Rapid Valley: SD 44 and Elk Vale Road

To downtown Rapid Citydiffers

Black Hawk: About 12 to 15 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
Rapid Valley: 11 min, 5.2 miDriving 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.
Rapid Valley: 22 min, 10.4 miDriving 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.
Rapid Valley: Highway 44 and Elk Vale are state and county priorities. Interior subdivision streets are county maintained and clear after the arterials do.

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.
Rapid Valley: About $350,000 average sold, 274 sales over 12 monthsAverage sold $349,971. Black Hills MLS, single family, 12 months through August 2026, as of August 2026. 274 closed sales.

Housing agediffers

Black Hawk: Mixed street to street, sometimes neighbor to neighbor
Rapid Valley: Mostly late twentieth century through current, with active building on the edges.

New constructiondiffers

Black Hawk: Limited, mostly infill and small projects
Rapid Valley: Active, with subdivisions still building

Acreagediffers

Black Hawk: Larger lots and acre properties are part of the Black Hawk market, including properties with room for shops and outbuildings.
Rapid Valley: Some acreage, mostly platted town lots

Typical lotdiffers

Black Hawk: Bigger lots, with shop space and outbuildings normal
Rapid Valley: Suburban lots through the core, larger parcels toward Reservoir and Radar Hill Roads.

Covenants and HOA

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.
Rapid Valley: Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others

Utilities and rules

Utility patterndiffers

Black Hawk: Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
Rapid Valley: Utility service varies by address. Rapid Valley Sanitary District serves portions of the area, while properties outside district service may use private wells and septic systems.

Waterdiffers

Black Hawk: Black Hawk Water User District
Rapid Valley: Rapid Valley Sanitary District, treating Rapid Creek water at its own plant, with the ability to buy treated water from Rapid City at peak demand. Parcels outside the district are on private wells.

Sewerdiffers

Black Hawk: Black Hawk Sanitary District serves roughly 200 homes and businesses; properties outside the district are on private septic
Rapid Valley: Rapid Valley Sanitary District owns and maintains the collection system, and Rapid City treats the wastewater under an intergovernmental agreement. Parcels outside the district are on private septic.

Fire protectiondiffers

The responding department and the distance to it both affect an insurance quote.

Black Hawk: Not recorded townwide in this guide. Confirm the responding department by address.
Rapid Valley: Rapid Valley Volunteer Fire Department, which also provides EMS and wildland response.

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.
Rapid Valley: Unincorporated Pennington County has no city short-term rental ordinance to comply with, which is not the same as no rules. County zoning and any subdivision covenants still govern, and state licensing applies.

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.
Rapid Valley: Mostly Rapid City Area School District 51-4, with portions in Douglas 51-1Assignment 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.
Rapid Valley: Retail and everyday shopping run along Highway 44 on the southern edge, with additional grocery options a few minutes west in Rapid City.

Healthcarediffers

Black Hawk: Monument Health Rapid City Hospital
Rapid Valley: Monument Health Rapid Valley Clinic provides primary and urgent care in the community. Hospital-level care is in Rapid City.

Recreationdiffers

Black Hawk: Piedmont and the Stagebarn area are just north, with the central hills close enough for a half day.
Rapid Valley: Rapid Creek, the county parks east of town, and everything the Hills offer half an hour west.

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.
Rapid Valley: 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.
Rapid Valley: The region's largest unincorporated community: suburban streets, high ownership, county government.

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.
Rapid Valley: Rapid City schools and a five mile commute without Rapid City property taxes, plus a walk-in clinic in the neighborhood.

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.
Rapid Valley: No city services, a sanitary district bill instead of a city utility bill, and an annexation line that only the parcel record can settle.

Where this comes from

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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ComparingBlack Hawk, Rapid Valley

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