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.
1 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
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.
- 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.
Between Buffalo Gap, Piedmont
The rows below are the ones where these do not read the same. Ordered as the table runs, not by importance.
- Region
- Buffalo GapCentral and Southern HillsPiedmontRapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
- County
- Buffalo GapCuster CountyPiedmontMeade County
- Jurisdiction
- Buffalo GapIncorporated town of Buffalo Gap, with Custer County outside the limits.PiedmontCity of Piedmont
- Corridor
- Buffalo GapSD 79PiedmontI-90
- To downtown Rapid City
- Buffalo GapAbout 45 miles, roughly 56 minutesPiedmontAbout 26 minutes from the Prairie Haven side, longer from the upper plats
- To Ellsworth AFB
- Buffalo GapAbout 55 milesPiedmont36 min from the Prairie Haven side, closer to 51 from the plats highest up the foothills
Buffalo Gap, Piedmont
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 | Central and Southern HillsBuffalo Gap | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | ||
| Regiondiffers | Central and Southern Hills | Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor |
| Countydiffers | Custer County | Meade County |
| JurisdictiondiffersCity versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work. | Incorporated town of Buffalo Gap, with Custer County outside the limits. | City of Piedmont |
| Corridordiffers | SD 79 | I-90 |
| To downtown Rapid Citydiffers | About 45 miles, roughly 56 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. | About 26 minutes from the Prairie Haven side, longer from the upper platsDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| To Ellsworth AFBdiffers | About 55 milesDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel. | 36 min from the Prairie Haven side, closer to 51 from the plats highest up the foothillsDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| Winter drivingdiffers | Highway 79 is state maintained and is the connection to Hot Springs and Rapid City. Off it, this is open prairie with blowing snow. | Driveway grade is the first thing to look at out here, then water, then where spring melt goes. |
| Housing and lots | ||
| Typical pricediffers | One single family sale shows in the Black Hills MLS over 24 months, at $80,000. One closing is a sample of one rather than a price level, so read it that way. | $375k to $575kMedian sold $425,000. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 127 closed sales. |
| Housing agediffers | An 1885 to 1939 historic core with an aging housing stock and about a fifth of units vacant. | Older ranch homes and newer custom builds, sometimes on the same road |
| New constructiondiffers | None underway | Limited, mostly infill and small projects |
| Acreagediffers | Acreage parcels are common here | Acreage is a major part of the Piedmont-area market, particularly on surrounding unincorporated Meade County ground. |
| Typical lotdiffers | A handful of historic townsite lots, with grassland and ranch ground around them. | Foothills lots that buy elevation, pine and space |
| Covenants and HOAdiffersCovenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel. | Few plats here carry recorded covenants | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat. |
| Utilities and rules | ||
| Utility pattern | Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it | Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it |
| Waterdiffers | Town of Buffalo Gap municipal water from a single well, serving about 93 connections. Rural parcels are on private wells. | City of Piedmont municipal, supplemented by bulk water from Black Hawk Water User District |
| Sewerdiffers | Not documented in the public record. There is no municipal wastewater project or discharge permit on file that I could find. Confirm with the town finance officer before assuming either town sewer or septic. | City sewer inside the limits, private septic 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 | This is hunting and grassland country rather than a tourism corridor. Demand is seasonal and specific. | A research before you count on it town. The city publishes very little and the county next door publishes less. |
| Schools | ||
| School districtdiffers | Hot Springs School District 23-2, despite the town being in Custer CountyAssignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district. | Meade School District 46-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district. |
| Daily errands | ||
| Groceriesdiffers | Nothing full service in town. Hot Springs, about 14 miles south, is where errands happen. | Not recorded in this guide. Check what is open near the address. |
| Healthcarediffers | Fall River Health Services in Hot Springs, a 25 bed critical access hospital with a 24 hour emergency department and a rural health clinic, about 18 minutes away. | Monument Health Rapid City Hospital |
| Recreationdiffers | Buffalo Gap National Grassland, hunting, rock collecting and OHV country, with the Cheyenne River nearby. | Foothills trailheads sit within minutes of town, and the Petrified Forest of the Black Hills is seasonal. |
| Mapped subdivisions | ||
| Outlines on filediffers | No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet. | 21 mapped outlines, 17 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls. |
| The trade | ||
| Housing and patterndiffers | A nearly intact turn-of-the-century western streetscape on the National Register, mostly quiet, at the gate to the grassland. | Where the prairie folds up into the foothills, with a lot of my current listing inventory on these roads. |
| What you gaindiffers | Eighteen minutes from the hospital in Hot Springs, with 600,000 acres of grassland out the door and one MLS closing in two years to price from. | Foothills lots with elevation and pine, in Meade 46-1, with I-90 at the door and downtown Rapid City about 26 minutes south from the Prairie Haven side. |
| What you give updiffers | No school, no store and no services in town, an aging water system with an open compliance item, and an undocumented sewer situation. | The city publishes very little, so rental plans, utilities and legal access get answered address by address, and a steep driveway is a winter decision. |
- Central and Southern HillsBuffalo Gap
Where it sits
Regiondiffers
- Buffalo Gap
- Central and Southern Hills
- Piedmont
- Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
Countydiffers
- Buffalo Gap
- Custer County
- Piedmont
- Meade County
Jurisdictiondiffers
City versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.- Buffalo Gap
- Incorporated town of Buffalo Gap, with Custer County outside the limits.
- Piedmont
- City of Piedmont
Corridordiffers
- Buffalo Gap
- SD 79
- Piedmont
- I-90
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers
- Buffalo Gap
- About 45 miles, roughly 56 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Piedmont
- About 26 minutes from the Prairie Haven side, longer from the upper platsDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers
- Buffalo Gap
- About 55 milesDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
- Piedmont
- 36 min from the Prairie Haven side, closer to 51 from the plats highest up the foothillsDriving time and distance, off peak.
Winter drivingdiffers
- Buffalo Gap
- Highway 79 is state maintained and is the connection to Hot Springs and Rapid City. Off it, this is open prairie with blowing snow.
- Piedmont
- Driveway grade is the first thing to look at out here, then water, then where spring melt goes.
Housing and lots
Typical pricediffers
- Buffalo Gap
- One single family sale shows in the Black Hills MLS over 24 months, at $80,000. One closing is a sample of one rather than a price level, so read it that way.
- Piedmont
- $375k to $575kMedian sold $425,000. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 127 closed sales.
Housing agediffers
- Buffalo Gap
- An 1885 to 1939 historic core with an aging housing stock and about a fifth of units vacant.
- Piedmont
- Older ranch homes and newer custom builds, sometimes on the same road
New constructiondiffers
- Buffalo Gap
- None underway
- Piedmont
- Limited, mostly infill and small projects
Acreagediffers
- Buffalo Gap
- Acreage parcels are common here
- Piedmont
- Acreage is a major part of the Piedmont-area market, particularly on surrounding unincorporated Meade County ground.
Typical lotdiffers
- Buffalo Gap
- A handful of historic townsite lots, with grassland and ranch ground around them.
- Piedmont
- Foothills lots that buy elevation, pine and space
Covenants and HOAdiffers
Covenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel.- Buffalo Gap
- Few plats here carry recorded covenants
- Piedmont
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat.
Utilities and rules
Utility pattern
- Buffalo Gap
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
- Piedmont
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
Waterdiffers
- Buffalo Gap
- Town of Buffalo Gap municipal water from a single well, serving about 93 connections. Rural parcels are on private wells.
- Piedmont
- City of Piedmont municipal, supplemented by bulk water from Black Hawk Water User District
Sewerdiffers
- Buffalo Gap
- Not documented in the public record. There is no municipal wastewater project or discharge permit on file that I could find. Confirm with the town finance officer before assuming either town sewer or septic.
- Piedmont
- City sewer inside the limits, private septic 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
- Buffalo Gap
- This is hunting and grassland country rather than a tourism corridor. Demand is seasonal and specific.
- Piedmont
- A research before you count on it town. The city publishes very little and the county next door publishes less.
Schools
School districtdiffers
- Buffalo Gap
- Hot Springs School District 23-2, despite the town being in Custer CountyAssignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
- Piedmont
- Meade School District 46-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Daily errands
Groceriesdiffers
- Buffalo Gap
- Nothing full service in town. Hot Springs, about 14 miles south, is where errands happen.
- Piedmont
- Not recorded in this guide. Check what is open near the address.
Healthcarediffers
- Buffalo Gap
- Fall River Health Services in Hot Springs, a 25 bed critical access hospital with a 24 hour emergency department and a rural health clinic, about 18 minutes away.
- Piedmont
- Monument Health Rapid City Hospital
Recreationdiffers
- Buffalo Gap
- Buffalo Gap National Grassland, hunting, rock collecting and OHV country, with the Cheyenne River nearby.
- Piedmont
- Foothills trailheads sit within minutes of town, and the Petrified Forest of the Black Hills is seasonal.
Mapped subdivisions
Outlines on filediffers
- Buffalo Gap
- No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.
- Piedmont
- 21 mapped outlines, 17 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls.
The trade
Housing and patterndiffers
- Buffalo Gap
- A nearly intact turn-of-the-century western streetscape on the National Register, mostly quiet, at the gate to the grassland.
- Piedmont
- Where the prairie folds up into the foothills, with a lot of my current listing inventory on these roads.
What you gaindiffers
- Buffalo Gap
- Eighteen minutes from the hospital in Hot Springs, with 600,000 acres of grassland out the door and one MLS closing in two years to price from.
- Piedmont
- Foothills lots with elevation and pine, in Meade 46-1, with I-90 at the door and downtown Rapid City about 26 minutes south from the Prairie Haven side.
What you give updiffers
- Buffalo Gap
- No school, no store and no services in town, an aging water system with an open compliance item, and an undocumented sewer situation.
- Piedmont
- The city publishes very little, so rental plans, utilities and legal access get answered address by address, and a steep driveway is a winter decision.
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
Want to talk through the tradeoffs?
Two towns can look identical in a table and feel nothing alike on a Tuesday night in February. Call or text and tell me which rows above are the ones you cannot live with, and we can work the list down from there.
Considering a home here?
Send the address and we can talk it through. The details that change from one property to the next are jurisdiction, water and sewer, the school the district assigns, covenants, road maintenance and the rest of what never shows up on a listing.