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.
13 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
- $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
- $375k to $575kMedian sold $425,000. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 127 closed sales.
- To Ellsworth AFB
- 36 min from the Prairie Haven side, closer to 51 from the plats highest up the foothillsDriving time and distance, off peak.
- To downtown Rapid City
- About 26 minutes from the Prairie Haven side, longer from the upper platsDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Utility pattern
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
- School district
- Meade School District 46-1Assignment 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.
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
- $275k to $375kMedian sold $300,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 113 closed sales.
- To Ellsworth AFB
- About an hourDriving time and distance, off peak.
- To downtown Rapid City
- About 55 to 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Utility pattern
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
- School district
- Belle Fourche School District 9-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
- Typical price
- No figure published. Newell is Mount Rushmore Area MLS territory and the current feed covers only the Black Hills MLS, so any count from that feed is a floor rather than this town's price level.
- To Ellsworth AFB
- About 60 milesDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
- To downtown Rapid City
- About 54 miles, roughly 70 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Utility pattern
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
- School district
- Newell School District 09-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
- Typical price
- $400k to $600kMedian sold $475,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 199 closed sales.
- To Ellsworth AFB
- 68 min, 57.0 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
- To downtown Rapid City
- 53 min, 47.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Utility pattern
- 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.
- School district
- Spearfish School District 40-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
- 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.
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.
- Typical price
- About $650,000 average sold, 28 sales over 24 monthsAverage sold $648,229. Black Hills MLS, single family, 24 months through August 2026, as of August 2026. 28 closed sales.
- To Ellsworth AFB
- About 35 minutes, north through Rapid City to I-90Driving time and distance, off peak.
- To downtown Rapid City
- 26 min, 18.6 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Utility pattern
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
- School district
- Custer School District 16-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
- Typical price
- About $618,000 average sold, but only 9 sales over 24 monthsAverage sold $618,449. Black Hills MLS, single family, 24 months through August 2026, as of August 2026. 9 closed sales, small sample.
- To Ellsworth AFB
- About 40 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
- To downtown Rapid City
- About 25 minutes northeastDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Utility pattern
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
- School district
- Hill City School District 51-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
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.
Between Custer, Belle Fourche
The rows below are the ones where these do not read the same. Ordered as the table runs, not by importance.
- Region
- CusterCentral and Southern HillsBelle FourcheNorthern Hills and I-90
- County
- CusterCuster CountyBelle FourcheButte County
- Corridor
- CusterUS-16Belle FourcheUS-85 and SD-34
- To downtown Rapid City
- CusterAbout 50 to 60 minutesBelle FourcheAbout 55 to 60 minutes
- To Ellsworth AFB
- CusterAbout an hour and ten minutesBelle FourcheAbout an hour
- Winter driving
- CusterWinter roads are a genuine planning factor at this distance, and on acreage you need to know who maintains yours.Belle FourcheOut on the acreage the question is who maintains the road in winter, and it is worth asking in writing.
Custer, Belle Fourche
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 | Northern Hills and I-90Belle Fourche | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | ||
| Regiondiffers | Central and Southern Hills | Northern Hills and I-90 |
| Countydiffers | Custer County | Butte County |
| Corridordiffers | US-16 | US-85 and SD-34 |
| To downtown Rapid Citydiffers | About 50 to 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. | About 55 to 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| To Ellsworth AFBdiffers | About an hour and ten minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. | About an hourDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| Winter drivingdiffers | Winter roads are a genuine planning factor at this distance, and on acreage you need to know who maintains yours. | Out on the acreage the question is who maintains the road in winter, and it is worth asking in writing. |
| Housing and lots | ||
| Typical pricediffers | Median sold $627,000Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 7 closed sales, small sample. | $275k to $375kMedian sold $300,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 113 closed sales. |
| Housing agediffers | Mixed ages. Older homes near the core, newer construction toward the edges. | Older homes in town, newer construction on the edges |
| New constructiondiffers | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Check current permits with the city or county. | Limited, mostly infill and small projects |
| Acreagediffers | Acreage is common outside the city core, with wells and septic systems typical on many rural properties. | Larger lots and acreage become more common around the edges of Belle Fourche and in nearby rural subdivisions. |
| Typical lotdiffers | Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions. | Generous in town, acreage out past it |
| 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 |
| Water | Municipal water inside the limits, a private well or a district system outside them.Read off the townwide utility pattern in the guide. The service address controls, so confirm the provider before you write an offer. | Municipal water inside the limits, a private well or a district system outside them.Read off the townwide utility pattern in the guide. The service address controls, so confirm the provider before you write an offer. |
| Sewer | 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. | 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 | Grandfathered permits are non transferable and expire when the property sells, and the rules flip at the city line. | General zoning and state rules do the work in Belle Fourche. Confirm the lodging use category with city hall for the address before you count on rental income. |
| Schools | ||
| School districtdiffers | Custer School District 16-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district. | Belle Fourche School District 9-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district. |
| Daily errands | ||
| Groceriesdiffers | Lynn's Dakotamart is a full-service grocery store in town. | Full-service grocery options in town include Lueders Food Centers and Lynn's Dakotamart. |
| Healthcarediffers | Monument Health Custer Hospital and clinic are in town. | Monument Health has a clinic in Belle Fourche. Hospital-level care is available in Spearfish. |
| Recreationdiffers | Custer State Park at the door, including Sylvan Lake, the Needles Highway, the wildlife loop and the September buffalo roundup. | The Geographic Center of the Nation monument, the Tri-State Museum, and the Black Hills Roundup rodeo every Fourth of July week since 1918. |
| The trade | ||
| Housing and patterndiffers | A county seat at a park entrance, with a replacement Monument Health hospital and acreage starting just past the city limits. | A ranching hub with a working main street, mature trees and a rodeo the whole town turns out for. |
| What you gaindiffers | You are inside the Hills with real acreage, Custer State Park at the door, and a new hospital in a town of about 1,900. | A $300,000 median across 113 trailing twelve month sales, under Spearfish, Sturgis and Deadwood, with acreage out past town. |
| What you give updiffers | Rapid City is 50 to 60 minutes and Ellsworth over an hour, grandfathered rental permits expire when a property sells, and outside the city limits there are no county building codes. | Rapid City is 55 to 60 minutes and Ellsworth about an hour, so this is a commute you pick on purpose. |
- Northern Hills and I-90Belle Fourche
Where it sits
Regiondiffers
- Custer
- Central and Southern Hills
- Belle Fourche
- Northern Hills and I-90
Countydiffers
- Custer
- Custer County
- Belle Fourche
- Butte County
Corridordiffers
- Custer
- US-16
- Belle Fourche
- US-85 and SD-34
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers
- Custer
- About 50 to 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Belle Fourche
- About 55 to 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers
- Custer
- About an hour and ten minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Belle Fourche
- About an hourDriving time and distance, off peak.
Winter drivingdiffers
- Custer
- Winter roads are a genuine planning factor at this distance, and on acreage you need to know who maintains yours.
- Belle Fourche
- Out on the acreage the question is who maintains the road in winter, and it is worth asking in writing.
Housing and lots
Typical pricediffers
- Custer
- Median sold $627,000Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 7 closed sales, small sample.
- Belle Fourche
- $275k to $375kMedian sold $300,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 113 closed sales.
Housing agediffers
- Custer
- Mixed ages. Older homes near the core, newer construction toward the edges.
- Belle Fourche
- Older homes in town, newer construction on the edges
New constructiondiffers
- Custer
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Check current permits with the city or county.
- Belle Fourche
- Limited, mostly infill and small projects
Acreagediffers
- Custer
- Acreage is common outside the city core, with wells and septic systems typical on many rural properties.
- Belle Fourche
- Larger lots and acreage become more common around the edges of Belle Fourche and in nearby rural subdivisions.
Typical lotdiffers
- Custer
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions.
- Belle Fourche
- Generous in town, acreage out past it
Utilities and rules
Utility pattern
- Custer
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
- Belle Fourche
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
Water
- Custer
- Municipal water inside the limits, a private well or a district system outside them.Read off the townwide utility pattern in the guide. The service address controls, so confirm the provider before you write an offer.
- Belle Fourche
- Municipal water inside the limits, a private well or a district system outside them.Read off the townwide utility pattern in the guide. The service address controls, so confirm the provider before you write an offer.
Sewer
- Custer
- 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.
- Belle Fourche
- 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
- Custer
- Grandfathered permits are non transferable and expire when the property sells, and the rules flip at the city line.
- Belle Fourche
- General zoning and state rules do the work in Belle Fourche. Confirm the lodging use category with city hall for the address before you count on rental income.
Schools
School districtdiffers
- Custer
- Custer School District 16-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
- Belle Fourche
- Belle Fourche School District 9-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Daily errands
Groceriesdiffers
- Custer
- Lynn's Dakotamart is a full-service grocery store in town.
- Belle Fourche
- Full-service grocery options in town include Lueders Food Centers and Lynn's Dakotamart.
Healthcarediffers
- Custer
- Monument Health Custer Hospital and clinic are in town.
- Belle Fourche
- Monument Health has a clinic in Belle Fourche. Hospital-level care is available in Spearfish.
Recreationdiffers
- Custer
- Custer State Park at the door, including Sylvan Lake, the Needles Highway, the wildlife loop and the September buffalo roundup.
- Belle Fourche
- The Geographic Center of the Nation monument, the Tri-State Museum, and the Black Hills Roundup rodeo every Fourth of July week since 1918.
The trade
Housing and patterndiffers
- Custer
- A county seat at a park entrance, with a replacement Monument Health hospital and acreage starting just past the city limits.
- Belle Fourche
- A ranching hub with a working main street, mature trees and a rodeo the whole town turns out for.
What you gaindiffers
- Custer
- You are inside the Hills with real acreage, Custer State Park at the door, and a new hospital in a town of about 1,900.
- Belle Fourche
- A $300,000 median across 113 trailing twelve month sales, under Spearfish, Sturgis and Deadwood, with acreage out past town.
What you give updiffers
- Custer
- Rapid City is 50 to 60 minutes and Ellsworth over an hour, grandfathered rental permits expire when a property sells, and outside the city limits there are no county building codes.
- Belle Fourche
- Rapid City is 55 to 60 minutes and Ellsworth about an hour, so this is a commute you pick on purpose.
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.