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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Between Blucksberg Mountain, Spearfish
The rows below are the ones where these do not read the same. Ordered as the table runs, not by importance.
- Region
- Blucksberg MountainRapid City and the Ellsworth corridorSpearfishNorthern Hills and I-90
- County
- Blucksberg MountainMeade CountySpearfishLawrence County
- Jurisdiction
- Blucksberg MountainUnincorporated Meade CountySpearfishNot recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.
- To downtown Rapid City
- Blucksberg MountainNot measured for this page.Spearfish53 min, 47.8 mi
- To Ellsworth AFB
- Blucksberg MountainNot measured for this page.Spearfish68 min, 57.0 mi
- Winter driving
- Blucksberg MountainThis is hill ground off the interstate. Ask who plows the interior road serving the parcel, because some are not county maintained.SpearfishChinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor.
Blucksberg Mountain, Spearfish
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 | Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorBlucksberg Mountain | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | ||
| Regiondiffers | Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor | Northern Hills and I-90 |
| Countydiffers | Meade County | Lawrence 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. |
| Corridor | I-90 | I-90 |
| To downtown Rapid Citydiffers | Not measured for this page.Drive time is not measured for this community. Time it from the parcel itself. | 53 min, 47.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| To Ellsworth AFBdiffers | Not measured for this page.Drive time is not measured for this community. Time it from the parcel itself. | 68 min, 57.0 miDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| Winter drivingdiffers | This is hill ground off the interstate. Ask who plows the interior road serving the parcel, because some are not county maintained. | Chinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor. |
| Housing and lots | ||
| Typical pricediffers | No verified closed sale set is available for Blucksberg Mountain, so no price level is printed here. The five recorded plats differ enough that one figure would not describe any of them. | $400k to $600kMedian sold $475,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 199 closed sales. |
| Housing agediffers | Mixed ages. Older homes near the core, newer construction toward the edges. | Older stock in the middle, edge subdivisions built 1996 to 2023 |
| New constructiondiffers | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Check current permits with the city or county. | New construction remains active on the edges of town, including areas such as Sky Ridge and other newer developments. |
| Acreagediffers | Acreage parcels are common here | Acreage is available around Spearfish, primarily on surrounding Lawrence County ground rather than in the city core. |
| Covenants and HOACovenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel. | Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others | Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others |
| Utilities and rules | ||
| Utility patterndiffers | Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it | 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. |
| Waterdiffers | Varies by plat. Blucksberg Mountain #1 is a regulated community water system. Confirm provider and rate by parcel. | 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. |
| Sewerdiffers | Septic common in current listings. Confirm the system by address. | 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. |
| Short term rentalsdiffers | Short term rental rules here come from Meade County and from the covenants on the recorded plat, not from a city ordinance. | The city studied rules in 2023 and 2024 and maintains an official short term rental page. Verify the current ordinance first. |
| Schools | ||
| School districtdiffers | Meade School District 46-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district. | Spearfish School District 40-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district. |
| Daily errands | ||
| Groceriesdiffers | Not recorded in this guide. Check what is open near the address. | Full-service grocery options in town include Walmart, Safeway and Lueders Food Centers. |
| Healthcarediffers | Not recorded in this guide. Confirm the nearest clinic and hospital by address. | Monument Health Spearfish Hospital and outpatient clinics are in town. |
| Recreationdiffers | Not recorded in this guide. Read the guide for what residents use here. | D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, Black Hills State University events, and Terry Peak and Deadwood a short drive south. |
| Mapped subdivisions | ||
| Outlines on filediffers | No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet. | 25 mapped outlines, 13 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls. |
| The trade | ||
| Housing and patterndiffers | Five separate recorded plats of residential acreage on the hill between Rapid City and Sturgis, unincorporated. | A university town with a walkable middle, growing fast enough that new construction has moved to the edges. |
| What you gaindiffers | Read the guide | A downtown you can walk across, Black Hills State and Spearfish Canyon out the back door, on city water and sewer. |
| What you give updiffers | Utilities, roads and covenants change from one recorded plat to the next, so nothing you learn about one street transfers to the next one over. | 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. |
- Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorBlucksberg Mountain
Where it sits
Regiondiffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
- Spearfish
- Northern Hills and I-90
Countydiffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Meade County
- Spearfish
- Lawrence County
Jurisdictiondiffers
City versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.- Blucksberg Mountain
- Unincorporated Meade County
- Spearfish
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.
Corridor
- Blucksberg Mountain
- I-90
- Spearfish
- I-90
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Not measured for this page.Drive time is not measured for this community. Time it from the parcel itself.
- Spearfish
- 53 min, 47.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Not measured for this page.Drive time is not measured for this community. Time it from the parcel itself.
- Spearfish
- 68 min, 57.0 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
Winter drivingdiffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- This is hill ground off the interstate. Ask who plows the interior road serving the parcel, because some are not county maintained.
- Spearfish
- Chinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor.
Housing and lots
Typical pricediffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- No verified closed sale set is available for Blucksberg Mountain, so no price level is printed here. The five recorded plats differ enough that one figure would not describe any of them.
- Spearfish
- $400k to $600kMedian sold $475,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 199 closed sales.
Housing agediffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Mixed ages. Older homes near the core, newer construction toward the edges.
- Spearfish
- Older stock in the middle, edge subdivisions built 1996 to 2023
New constructiondiffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Check current permits with the city or county.
- Spearfish
- New construction remains active on the edges of town, including areas such as Sky Ridge and other newer developments.
Acreagediffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Acreage parcels are common here
- Spearfish
- Acreage is available around Spearfish, primarily on surrounding Lawrence County ground rather than in the city core.
Covenants and HOA
Covenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel.- Blucksberg Mountain
- Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others
- Spearfish
- Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others
Utilities and rules
Utility patterndiffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- 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.
Waterdiffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Varies by plat. Blucksberg Mountain #1 is a regulated community water system. Confirm provider and rate by parcel.
- 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.
Sewerdiffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Septic common in current listings. Confirm the system by address.
- 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.
Short term rentalsdiffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Short term rental rules here come from Meade County and from the covenants on the recorded plat, not from a city ordinance.
- Spearfish
- The city studied rules in 2023 and 2024 and maintains an official short term rental page. Verify the current ordinance first.
Schools
School districtdiffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Meade School District 46-1Assignment 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.
Daily errands
Groceriesdiffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Not recorded in this guide. Check what is open near the address.
- Spearfish
- Full-service grocery options in town include Walmart, Safeway and Lueders Food Centers.
Healthcarediffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Not recorded in this guide. Confirm the nearest clinic and hospital by address.
- Spearfish
- Monument Health Spearfish Hospital and outpatient clinics are in town.
Recreationdiffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Not recorded in this guide. Read the guide for what residents use here.
- Spearfish
- D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, Black Hills State University events, and Terry Peak and Deadwood a short drive south.
Mapped subdivisions
Outlines on filediffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.
- Spearfish
- 25 mapped outlines, 13 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls.
The trade
Housing and patterndiffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Five separate recorded plats of residential acreage on the hill between Rapid City and Sturgis, unincorporated.
- Spearfish
- A university town with a walkable middle, growing fast enough that new construction has moved to the edges.
What you gaindiffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Read the guide
- Spearfish
- A downtown you can walk across, Black Hills State and Spearfish Canyon out the back door, on city water and sewer.
What you give updiffers
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Utilities, roads and covenants change from one recorded plat to the next, so nothing you learn about one street transfers to the next one over.
- 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.
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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