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.
6 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Between Colonial Pine Hills, Piedmont
The rows below are the ones where these do not read the same. Ordered as the table runs, not by importance.
- County
- Colonial Pine HillsPennington CountyPiedmontMeade County
- Jurisdiction
- Colonial Pine HillsUnincorporated. There is no city government. Pennington County zones the lots, issues the permits and patrols the roads.PiedmontCity of Piedmont
- Corridor
- Colonial Pine HillsUS 16 and Sheridan Lake RoadPiedmontI-90
- To downtown Rapid City
- Colonial Pine HillsRoughly 6 miles northeastPiedmontAbout 26 minutes from the Prairie Haven side, longer from the upper plats
- To Ellsworth AFB
- Colonial Pine HillsAbout 25 to 30 minutes, through or around Rapid CityPiedmont36 min from the Prairie Haven side, closer to 51 from the plats highest up the foothills
- Winter driving
- Colonial Pine HillsYou are 900 feet above Rapid City on grades, and some subdivision roads are privately plowed. Snow tires are not a luxury item up here.PiedmontDriveway grade is the first thing to look at out here, then water, then where spring melt goes.
Colonial Pine Hills, 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 | Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorColonial Pine Hills | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | ||
| Region | Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor | Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor |
| Countydiffers | Pennington County | Meade County |
| JurisdictiondiffersCity versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work. | Unincorporated. There is no city government. Pennington County zones the lots, issues the permits and patrols the roads. | City of Piedmont |
| Corridordiffers | US 16 and Sheridan Lake Road | I-90 |
| To downtown Rapid Citydiffers | Roughly 6 miles northeastDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel. | About 26 minutes from the Prairie Haven side, longer from the upper platsDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| To Ellsworth AFBdiffers | About 25 to 30 minutes, through or around Rapid CityDriving time and distance, off peak. | 36 min from the Prairie Haven side, closer to 51 from the plats highest up the foothillsDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| Winter drivingdiffers | You are 900 feet above Rapid City on grades, and some subdivision roads are privately plowed. Snow tires are not a luxury item up here. | Driveway grade is the first thing to look at out here, then water, then where spring melt goes. |
| Housing and lots | ||
| Typical pricediffers | About $683,000 average sold in the Sheridan Lake Road MLS area, 71 sales over 12 monthsAverage sold $682,615. Black Hills MLS, single family, 12 months through August 2026, as of August 2026. 71 closed sales. | $375k to $575kMedian sold $425,000. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 127 closed sales. |
| Housing agediffers | Platted over several decades, so 1970s cabins and current builds sit on the same road. | Older ranch homes and newer custom builds, sometimes on the same road |
| New construction | Limited, mostly infill and small projects | 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 | Large by Rapid City standards, from generous lots to several acres. | Foothills lots that buy elevation, pine and space |
| Covenants and HOAdiffersCovenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel. | Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat. |
| Utilities and rules | ||
| Utility patterndiffers | Mostly private well and septic | Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it |
| Waterdiffers | Depends entirely on the parcel. The Colonial Pine Hills Sanitary District serves roughly 430 connections. Several separate water associations serve other pockets, and the rest of the area is on private wells. | City of Piedmont municipal, supplemented by bulk water from Black Hawk Water User District |
| Sewerdiffers | Private on-site septic throughout, permitted by Pennington County. There is no municipal sewer and no lagoon serving the area. | 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 unincorporated county, so there is no municipal short-term rental ordinance. County zoning and subdivision covenants are what govern, and the covenants out here are often stricter than the county. | A research before you count on it town. The city publishes very little and the county next door publishes less. |
| Schools | ||
| School districtdiffers | Rapid City Area School District 51-4Assignment 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 | Everything is in Rapid City, roughly fifteen minutes down US 16. | Not recorded in this guide. Check what is open near the address. |
| Healthcarediffers | No clinic up here. Monument Health Rapid City Hospital and the Rapid City clinics are the answer. | Monument Health Rapid City Hospital |
| Recreationdiffers | Sheridan Lake, Pactola, the Mickelson Trail and the whole central Hills network start where the subdivisions end. | 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 | Ponderosa pine subdivisions platted over decades, no two alike, on county rules six miles from the city. | Where the prairie folds up into the foothills, with a lot of my current listing inventory on these roads. |
| What you gaindiffers | Hills elevation, trees and lot size with a Rapid City commute and Rapid City schools. | 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 | Well or association water, septic on every parcel, private roads in places, and wildfire exposure that affects insurance. | 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. |
- Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorColonial Pine Hills
Where it sits
Region
- Colonial Pine Hills
- Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
- Piedmont
- Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
Countydiffers
- Colonial Pine Hills
- Pennington County
- Piedmont
- Meade County
Jurisdictiondiffers
City versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.- Colonial Pine Hills
- Unincorporated. There is no city government. Pennington County zones the lots, issues the permits and patrols the roads.
- Piedmont
- City of Piedmont
Corridordiffers
- Colonial Pine Hills
- US 16 and Sheridan Lake Road
- Piedmont
- I-90
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers
- Colonial Pine Hills
- Roughly 6 miles northeastDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
- Piedmont
- About 26 minutes from the Prairie Haven side, longer from the upper platsDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers
- Colonial Pine Hills
- About 25 to 30 minutes, through or around Rapid CityDriving time and distance, off peak.
- 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
- Colonial Pine Hills
- You are 900 feet above Rapid City on grades, and some subdivision roads are privately plowed. Snow tires are not a luxury item up here.
- Piedmont
- Driveway grade is the first thing to look at out here, then water, then where spring melt goes.
Housing and lots
Typical pricediffers
- Colonial Pine Hills
- About $683,000 average sold in the Sheridan Lake Road MLS area, 71 sales over 12 monthsAverage sold $682,615. Black Hills MLS, single family, 12 months through August 2026, as of August 2026. 71 closed sales.
- Piedmont
- $375k to $575kMedian sold $425,000. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 127 closed sales.
Housing agediffers
- Colonial Pine Hills
- Platted over several decades, so 1970s cabins and current builds sit on the same road.
- Piedmont
- Older ranch homes and newer custom builds, sometimes on the same road
New construction
- Colonial Pine Hills
- Limited, mostly infill and small projects
- Piedmont
- Limited, mostly infill and small projects
Acreagediffers
- Colonial Pine Hills
- 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
- Colonial Pine Hills
- Large by Rapid City standards, from generous lots to several acres.
- 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.- Colonial Pine Hills
- Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others
- Piedmont
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat.
Utilities and rules
Utility patterndiffers
- Colonial Pine Hills
- Mostly private well and septic
- Piedmont
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
Waterdiffers
- Colonial Pine Hills
- Depends entirely on the parcel. The Colonial Pine Hills Sanitary District serves roughly 430 connections. Several separate water associations serve other pockets, and the rest of the area is on private wells.
- Piedmont
- City of Piedmont municipal, supplemented by bulk water from Black Hawk Water User District
Sewerdiffers
- Colonial Pine Hills
- Private on-site septic throughout, permitted by Pennington County. There is no municipal sewer and no lagoon serving the area.
- 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
- Colonial Pine Hills
- This is unincorporated county, so there is no municipal short-term rental ordinance. County zoning and subdivision covenants are what govern, and the covenants out here are often stricter than the county.
- Piedmont
- A research before you count on it town. The city publishes very little and the county next door publishes less.
Schools
School districtdiffers
- Colonial Pine Hills
- Rapid City Area School District 51-4Assignment 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
- Colonial Pine Hills
- Everything is in Rapid City, roughly fifteen minutes down US 16.
- Piedmont
- Not recorded in this guide. Check what is open near the address.
Healthcarediffers
- Colonial Pine Hills
- No clinic up here. Monument Health Rapid City Hospital and the Rapid City clinics are the answer.
- Piedmont
- Monument Health Rapid City Hospital
Recreationdiffers
- Colonial Pine Hills
- Sheridan Lake, Pactola, the Mickelson Trail and the whole central Hills network start where the subdivisions end.
- Piedmont
- Foothills trailheads sit within minutes of town, and the Petrified Forest of the Black Hills is seasonal.
Mapped subdivisions
Outlines on filediffers
- Colonial Pine Hills
- 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
- Colonial Pine Hills
- Ponderosa pine subdivisions platted over decades, no two alike, on county rules six miles from the city.
- Piedmont
- Where the prairie folds up into the foothills, with a lot of my current listing inventory on these roads.
What you gaindiffers
- Colonial Pine Hills
- Hills elevation, trees and lot size with a Rapid City commute and Rapid City schools.
- 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
- Colonial Pine Hills
- Well or association water, septic on every parcel, private roads in places, and wildfire exposure that affects insurance.
- 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.
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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.