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.

Narrow it

1 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.

Browse

The five facts that decide a shortlist

Find a community

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.

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.
Compare Guide

What changes

Between Colonial Pine Hills, Spearfish

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

Region: Colonial Pine HillsRapid City and the Ellsworth corridorSpearfishNorthern Hills and I-90
County: Colonial Pine HillsPennington CountySpearfishLawrence County
Jurisdiction: Colonial Pine HillsUnincorporated. There is no city government. Pennington County zones the lots, issues the permits and patrols the roads.SpearfishNot recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.
Corridor: Colonial Pine HillsUS 16 and Sheridan Lake RoadSpearfishI-90
To downtown Rapid City: Colonial Pine HillsRoughly 6 miles northeastSpearfish53 min, 47.8 mi
To Ellsworth AFB: Colonial Pine HillsAbout 25 to 30 minutes, through or around Rapid CitySpearfish68 min, 57.0 mi

Side by side

Colonial Pine Hills, 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.

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 corridorColonial Pine Hills	Northern Hills and I-90Spearfish
Where it sits
Regiondiffers	Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor	Northern Hills and I-90
Countydiffers	Pennington County	Lawrence 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.	Not recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.
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.	53 min, 47.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers	About 25 to 30 minutes, through or around Rapid CityDriving time and distance, off peak.	68 min, 57.0 miDriving 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.	Chinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor.
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.	$400k to $600kMedian sold $475,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 199 closed sales.
Housing agediffers	Platted over several decades, so 1970s cabins and current builds sit on the same road.	Older stock in the middle, edge subdivisions built 1996 to 2023
New constructiondiffers	Limited, mostly infill and small projects	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.
Typical lotdiffers	Large by Rapid City standards, from generous lots to several acres.	Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions.
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	Mostly private well and septic	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	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 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	Private on-site septic throughout, permitted by Pennington County. There is no municipal sewer and no lagoon serving the area.	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	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.	The city studied rules in 2023 and 2024 and maintains an official short term rental page. Verify the current ordinance first.
Schools
School districtdiffers	Rapid City Area School District 51-4Assignment 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	Everything is in Rapid City, roughly fifteen minutes down US 16.	Full-service grocery options in town include Walmart, Safeway and Lueders Food Centers.
Healthcarediffers	No clinic up here. Monument Health Rapid City Hospital and the Rapid City clinics are the answer.	Monument Health Spearfish Hospital and outpatient clinics are in town.
Recreationdiffers	Sheridan Lake, Pactola, the Mickelson Trail and the whole central Hills network start where the subdivisions end.	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	Ponderosa pine subdivisions platted over decades, no two alike, on county rules six miles from the city.	A university town with a walkable middle, growing fast enough that new construction has moved to the edges.
What you gaindiffers	Hills elevation, trees and lot size with a Rapid City commute and Rapid City schools.	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	Well or association water, septic on every parcel, private roads in places, and wildfire exposure that affects insurance.	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 corridorColonial Pine Hills
Northern Hills and I-90Spearfish

Where it sits

Regiondiffers

Colonial Pine Hills: Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
Spearfish: Northern Hills and I-90

Countydiffers

Colonial Pine Hills: Pennington County
Spearfish: Lawrence 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.
Spearfish: Not recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.

Corridordiffers

Colonial Pine Hills: US 16 and Sheridan Lake Road
Spearfish: 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.
Spearfish: 53 min, 47.8 miDriving 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.
Spearfish: 68 min, 57.0 miDriving 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.
Spearfish: Chinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor.

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.
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

Colonial Pine Hills: Platted over several decades, so 1970s cabins and current builds sit on the same road.
Spearfish: Older stock in the middle, edge subdivisions built 1996 to 2023

New constructiondiffers

Colonial Pine Hills: 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.

Acreagediffers

Colonial Pine Hills: Acreage parcels are common here
Spearfish: Acreage is available around Spearfish, primarily on surrounding Lawrence County ground rather than in the city core.

Typical lotdiffers

Colonial Pine Hills: Large by Rapid City standards, from generous lots to several acres.
Spearfish: Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions.

Covenants and HOA

Covenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel.

Colonial Pine Hills: Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others
Spearfish: Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others

Utilities and rules

Utility patterndiffers

Colonial Pine Hills: Mostly private well and septic
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

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.
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

Colonial Pine Hills: Private on-site septic throughout, permitted by Pennington County. There is no municipal sewer and no lagoon serving the area.
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

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.
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

Colonial Pine Hills: Rapid City Area School District 51-4Assignment 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

Colonial Pine Hills: Everything is in Rapid City, roughly fifteen minutes down US 16.
Spearfish: Full-service grocery options in town include Walmart, Safeway and Lueders Food Centers.

Healthcarediffers

Colonial Pine Hills: No clinic up here. Monument Health Rapid City Hospital and the Rapid City clinics are the answer.
Spearfish: Monument Health Spearfish Hospital and outpatient clinics are in town.

Recreationdiffers

Colonial Pine Hills: Sheridan Lake, Pactola, the Mickelson Trail and the whole central Hills network start where the subdivisions end.
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

Colonial Pine Hills: 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

Colonial Pine Hills: Ponderosa pine subdivisions platted over decades, no two alike, on county rules six miles from the city.
Spearfish: A university town with a walkable middle, growing fast enough that new construction has moved to the edges.

What you gaindiffers

Colonial Pine Hills: Hills elevation, trees and lot size with a Rapid City commute and Rapid City schools.
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

Colonial Pine Hills: Well or association water, septic on every parcel, private roads in places, and wildfire exposure that affects insurance.
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.

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

Contact

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.

Call 605-490-2040 Text 605-490-2040 Send a Message

Address Questions

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.

Or send a message from the contact page

ComparingColonial Pine Hills, Spearfish

Compare Clear