Henry Roy Real Estate, Ascend Realty, Rapid City South Dakota
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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5 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.

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The five facts that decide a shortlist

Northern Hills and I-90

The Sturgis to Belle Fourche side of the Hills, with its own hospitals, schools and employers, so a job in Spearfish or Sturgis does not have to mean a Rapid City commute.

  • Typical price
    $300k to $450kMedian sold $365,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 97 closed sales.
    To Ellsworth AFB
    48 min, 38.2 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
    To downtown Rapid City
    33 min, 28.9 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
    Utility pattern
    Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify water and sewer service for the address.
    School district
    Meade School District 46-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
    4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide

Central and Southern Hills

In the timber and on the far southern edge, where lots get larger, well and septic get common, and the drive to a full service hospital becomes part of the decision.

  • Typical price
    About $155,000 average sold, 13 sales over 24 monthsAverage sold $155,285. Black Hills MLS, single family, 24 months through August 2026, as of August 2026. 13 closed sales.
    To Ellsworth AFB
    About 110 milesDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
    To downtown Rapid City
    About 100 miles northeastDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
    Utility pattern
    City water and sewer inside the limits
    School district
    Edgemont School District 23-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
    4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
  • Typical price
    Median sold $315,150Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 24 closed sales.
    To Ellsworth AFB
    About an hour and fifteen minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
    To downtown Rapid City
    About 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
    Utility pattern
    Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify water and sewer service for the address.
    School district
    Hot Springs School District 23-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
    4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide

Prairie and Badlands

East of the Hills on the open prairie, where lots run larger, water is often a private well, services are thinner and the wind and the drive are the tradeoffs.

  • Typical price
    About $320,000 average sold, 20 sales over 24 monthsAverage sold $319,585. Black Hills MLS, single family, 24 months through August 2026, as of August 2026. 20 closed sales.
    To Ellsworth AFB
    About 11 miles, exit 78 to the main gate at exit 67ADistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
    To downtown Rapid City
    About 18 miles west on I-90Distance 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
    New Underwood School District 51-3Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
    4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
  • Typical price
    About $270,000 average sold, 19 sales over 24 monthsAverage sold $270,435. Black Hills MLS, single family, 24 months through August 2026, as of August 2026. 19 closed sales.
    To Ellsworth AFB
    About 43 miles westDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
    To downtown Rapid City
    About 50 miles west on I-90Distance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
    Utility pattern
    City water and sewer inside the limits
    School district
    Wall School District 51-5Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
    4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
What changes

Between Black Hawk, Spearfish, Box Elder, St. Onge

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 corridorSpearfishNorthern Hills and I-90Box ElderRapid City and the Ellsworth corridorSt. OngeNorthern Hills and I-90
County
Black HawkMeade CountySpearfishLawrence CountyBox ElderPennington CountySt. OngeLawrence County
Jurisdiction
Black HawkUnincorporated Meade CountySpearfishNot recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.Box ElderCity of Box ElderSt. OngeUnincorporated. No town government. Lawrence County zones the parcels and the Sheriff patrols them.
Corridor
Black HawkI-90SpearfishI-90Box ElderI-90St. OngeSD 34, with I-90 seven miles southeast at Whitewood
To downtown Rapid City
Black HawkAbout 12 to 15 minutesSpearfish53 min, 47.8 miBox Elder19 min, 10.9 miSt. OngeAbout 44 miles, roughly 48 minutes
To Ellsworth AFB
Black HawkAbout 30 minutes, the same I-90 run as Summerset just northSpearfish68 min, 57.0 miBox Elder9 min, 2.3 miSt. OngeAbout 45 miles
Side by side

Black Hawk, Spearfish, Box Elder, St. Onge

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.

Where it sits

Regiondiffers

Black Hawk
Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
Spearfish
Northern Hills and I-90
Box Elder
Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
St. Onge
Northern Hills and I-90

Countydiffers

Black Hawk
Meade County
Spearfish
Lawrence County
Box Elder
Pennington County
St. Onge
Lawrence County

Jurisdictiondiffers

City versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.
Black Hawk
Unincorporated Meade County
Spearfish
Not recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.
Box Elder
City of Box Elder
St. Onge
Unincorporated. No town government. Lawrence County zones the parcels and the Sheriff patrols them.

Corridordiffers

Black Hawk
I-90
Spearfish
I-90
Box Elder
I-90
St. Onge
SD 34, with I-90 seven miles southeast at Whitewood

To downtown Rapid Citydiffers

Black Hawk
About 12 to 15 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
Spearfish
53 min, 47.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
Box Elder
19 min, 10.9 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
St. Onge
About 44 miles, roughly 48 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.
Spearfish
68 min, 57.0 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
Box Elder
9 min, 2.3 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
St. Onge
About 45 milesDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.

Winter drivingdiffers

Black Hawk
The road out front may be maintained publicly or by the neighborhood, so ask who plows before you buy.
Spearfish
Chinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor.
Box Elder
I-90 is state maintained and the city clears the newer plats. Box Elder publishes no plow priority map, so ask a neighbor how the street clears after a real storm.
St. Onge
Highway 34 is state maintained and connects three directions. County and private roads off it are a different conversation.

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.
Spearfish
$400k to $600kMedian sold $475,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 199 closed sales.
Box Elder
$340k to $400kMedian sold $367,000. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 235 closed sales.
St. Onge
No figure published. St. Onge is Mount Rushmore Area MLS territory and the current feed covers only the Black Hills MLS, so a zero here would be a gap in the data rather than a fact about the market.

Housing agediffers

Black Hawk
Mixed street to street, sometimes neighbor to neighbor
Spearfish
Older stock in the middle, edge subdivisions built 1996 to 2023
Box Elder
Heavily new construction since the B-21 announcement
St. Onge
An 1891 townsite with genuinely old buildings, surrounded by ranch and acreage property of every era.

New constructiondiffers

Black Hawk
Limited, mostly infill and small projects
Spearfish
New construction remains active on the edges of town, including areas such as Sky Ridge and other newer developments.
Box Elder
Active, with subdivisions still building
St. Onge
Limited, mostly infill and small projects

Acreagediffers

Black Hawk
Larger lots and acre properties are part of the Black Hawk market, including properties with room for shops and outbuildings.
Spearfish
Acreage is available around Spearfish, primarily on surrounding Lawrence County ground rather than in the city core.
Box Elder
Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot size.
St. Onge
Acreage parcels are common here

Typical lotdiffers

Black Hawk
Bigger lots, with shop space and outbuildings normal
Spearfish
Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions.
Box Elder
Small city lots, about 0.15 to 0.18 acres in the newer plats
St. Onge
Small townsite lots, with acreage and ranch ground around them.

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.
Spearfish
Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others
Box Elder
Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat.
St. Onge
Few plats here carry recorded covenants

Utilities and rules

Utility patterndiffers

Black Hawk
Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
Spearfish
City water and sewer are typical inside city-served areas. Acreage outside the city can use wells, septic systems or other service arrangements, so utilities should be confirmed by address.
Box Elder
City water and sewer inside the limits
St. Onge
Mostly private well and septic

Waterdiffers

Black Hawk
Black Hawk Water User District
Spearfish
City water inside the Spearfish limits. Acreage outside the limits runs on a private well or a rural water district.Read off the townwide utility pattern in the guide. The service address controls, so confirm the provider before you write an offer.
Box Elder
City of Box Elder municipal
St. Onge
The Saint Onge Sewer and Water Company serves about 78 connections around the townsite, with a clean compliance record. Parcels outside that system are on private wells. There is no rural water district covering this area.

Sewerdiffers

Black Hawk
Black Hawk Sanitary District serves roughly 200 homes and businesses; properties outside the district are on private septic
Spearfish
City sewer inside the Spearfish limits, private septic on acreage outside them.Read off the townwide utility pattern in the guide. The service address controls, so confirm the provider before you write an offer.
Box Elder
City of Box Elder municipal
St. Onge
The water company's name implies sewer service, but I have not been able to verify from the public record which parcels it reaches. Assume private septic outside the townsite and confirm the rest before closing.

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.
Spearfish
The city studied rules in 2023 and 2024 and maintains an official short term rental page. Verify the current ordinance first.
Box Elder
A verify first town for rental plans, with one specific misconception the guide clears up.
St. Onge
Unincorporated Lawrence County, so no municipal ordinance applies. Note that unincorporated Lawrence County declined to require a vacation home rental permit, so there is no county permit to obtain either.

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.
Spearfish
Spearfish School District 40-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Box Elder
Douglas School District 51-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
St. Onge
Spearfish 40-2 at the townsite, with Belle Fourche 09-1 to the north and Meade 46-1 to the east. Parcel specific.Assignment 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.
Spearfish
Full-service grocery options in town include Walmart, Safeway and Lueders Food Centers.
Box Elder
Lynn's Dakotamart is a full-service grocery store in town.
St. Onge
Nothing in town. Spearfish is eleven miles southeast and Belle Fourche thirteen northwest.

Healthcarediffers

Black Hawk
Monument Health Rapid City Hospital
Spearfish
Monument Health Spearfish Hospital and outpatient clinics are in town.
Box Elder
Monument Health Box Elder Clinic provides primary and urgent care in town. Hospital-level care is in Rapid City.
St. Onge
Monument Health Spearfish Hospital, a 35 bed facility with a 24 hour emergency department, about 18 minutes away.

Recreationdiffers

Black Hawk
Piedmont and the Stagebarn area are just north, with the central hills close enough for a half day.
Spearfish
D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, Black Hills State University events, and Terry Peak and Deadwood a short drive south.
Box Elder
The Liberty Center, the city park and ballfield network, and the South Dakota Air and Space Museum are the in-town recreation. The Badlands are a day trip, not your neighborhood park.
St. Onge
Creek bottoms, hay ground and hunting country, with Spearfish Canyon and the northern Hills half an hour away.

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.
Spearfish
25 mapped outlines, 13 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls.
Box Elder
16 mapped outlines, 3 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls.
St. Onge
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.
Spearfish
A university town with a walkable middle, growing fast enough that new construction has moved to the edges.
Box Elder
A young city building its first downtown at Liberty Plaza on 110 acres, with roughly 800 residential units planned.
St. Onge
An 1891 French-Canadian railroad townsite that is now a cattle auction crossroads and an acreage corridor.

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.
Spearfish
A downtown you can walk across, Black Hills State and Spearfish Canyon out the back door, on city water and sewer.
Box Elder
The Ellsworth main gate is in town, 9 minutes from most addresses, on city water and sewer, with the region's newest housing pipeline.
St. Onge
The cheapest ground in the northern Hills that still puts you eleven miles from a hospital and sixteen from three towns.

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.
Spearfish
The highest median sold price of the region's higher volume markets at $475,000 across 199 sales, and Rapid City is 53 minutes on the interstate with the Ellsworth gate 68.
Box Elder
Comparable sales run thin inside brand new subdivisions and builder incentives move the effective price without moving the list price. I-90 fills at shift change, and the flight line is close enough that you hear it.
St. Onge
A three-way school district split you have to verify per parcel, and no services of any kind in town.
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, Spearfish, Box Elder, St. Onge

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