Henry Roy Real Estate, Ascend Realty, Rapid City South Dakota
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.

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5 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.

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The five facts that decide a shortlist

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
    $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.
    4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide

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
    Median sold $315,150Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 24 closed sales.
    To Ellsworth AFB
    About an hour and fifteen minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
    To downtown Rapid City
    About 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
    Utility pattern
    Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify water and sewer service for the address.
    School district
    Hot Springs School District 23-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
    4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide

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.
    4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
  • Typical price
    About $270,000 average sold, 19 sales over 24 monthsAverage sold $270,435. Black Hills MLS, single family, 24 months through August 2026, as of August 2026. 19 closed sales.
    To Ellsworth AFB
    About 43 miles westDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
    To downtown Rapid City
    About 50 miles west on I-90Distance 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
    Wall School District 51-5Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
    4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
What changes

Between Custer, Spearfish, Box Elder, Edgemont

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 HillsSpearfishNorthern Hills and I-90Box ElderRapid City and the Ellsworth corridorEdgemontCentral and Southern Hills
County
CusterCuster CountySpearfishLawrence CountyBox ElderPennington CountyEdgemontFall River County
Jurisdiction
CusterNot recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.SpearfishNot recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.Box ElderCity of Box ElderEdgemontIncorporated city of Edgemont, with Fall River County outside the limits.
Corridor
CusterUS-16SpearfishI-90Box ElderI-90EdgemontUS 18 and SD 471
To downtown Rapid City
CusterAbout 50 to 60 minutesSpearfish53 min, 47.8 miBox Elder19 min, 10.9 miEdgemontAbout 100 miles northeast
To Ellsworth AFB
CusterAbout an hour and ten minutesSpearfish68 min, 57.0 miBox Elder9 min, 2.3 miEdgemontAbout 110 miles
Side by side

Custer, Spearfish, Box Elder, Edgemont

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.

Where it sits

Regiondiffers

Custer
Central and Southern Hills
Spearfish
Northern Hills and I-90
Box Elder
Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
Edgemont
Central and Southern Hills

Countydiffers

Custer
Custer County
Spearfish
Lawrence County
Box Elder
Pennington County
Edgemont
Fall River County

Jurisdictiondiffers

City versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.
Custer
Not recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.
Spearfish
Not recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.
Box Elder
City of Box Elder
Edgemont
Incorporated city of Edgemont, with Fall River County outside the limits.

Corridordiffers

Custer
US-16
Spearfish
I-90
Box Elder
I-90
Edgemont
US 18 and SD 471

To downtown Rapid Citydiffers

Custer
About 50 to 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
Spearfish
53 min, 47.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
Box Elder
19 min, 10.9 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
Edgemont
About 100 miles northeastDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.

To Ellsworth AFBdiffers

Custer
About an hour and ten minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
Spearfish
68 min, 57.0 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
Box Elder
9 min, 2.3 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
Edgemont
About 110 milesDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.

Winter drivingdiffers

Custer
Winter roads are a genuine planning factor at this distance, and on acreage you need to know who maintains yours.
Spearfish
Chinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor.
Box Elder
I-90 is state maintained and the city clears the newer plats. Box Elder publishes no plow priority map, so ask a neighbor how the street clears after a real storm.
Edgemont
Cold semi-arid country with a recorded low of 40 below. US 18 is the lifeline and it is a long way to anywhere in a storm.

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.
Spearfish
$400k to $600kMedian sold $475,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 199 closed sales.
Box Elder
$340k to $400kMedian sold $367,000. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 235 closed sales.
Edgemont
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.

Housing agediffers

Custer
Mixed ages. Older homes near the core, newer construction toward the edges.
Spearfish
Older stock in the middle, edge subdivisions built 1996 to 2023
Box Elder
Heavily new construction since the B-21 announcement
Edgemont
An 1890 railroad town, so mostly older stock, with about a quarter of units vacant at the 2020 count.

New constructiondiffers

Custer
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.
Box Elder
Active, with subdivisions still building
Edgemont
None underway

Acreagediffers

Custer
Acreage is common outside the city core, with wells and septic systems typical on many rural properties.
Spearfish
Acreage is available around Spearfish, primarily on surrounding Lawrence County ground rather than in the city core.
Box Elder
Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot size.
Edgemont
Acreage parcels are common here

Typical lotdiffers

Custer
Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions.
Spearfish
Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions.
Box Elder
Small city lots, about 0.15 to 0.18 acres in the newer plats
Edgemont
Town lots inside the limits, ranch scale outside them.

Covenants and HOAdiffers

Covenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel.
Custer
Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat.
Spearfish
Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others
Box Elder
Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat.
Edgemont
Few plats here carry recorded covenants

Utilities and rules

Utility patterndiffers

Custer
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.
Box Elder
City water and sewer inside the limits
Edgemont
City water and sewer inside the limits

Waterdiffers

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.
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.
Box Elder
City of Box Elder municipal
Edgemont
City of Edgemont municipal water. Rural parcels are on private wells.

Sewerdiffers

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.
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.
Box Elder
City of Box Elder municipal
Edgemont
City sewer inside the limits, with private septic on rural parcels.

Short term rentalsdiffers

Custer
Grandfathered permits are non transferable and expire when the property sells, and the rules flip at the city line.
Spearfish
The city studied rules in 2023 and 2024 and maintains an official short term rental page. Verify the current ordinance first.
Box Elder
A verify first town for rental plans, with one specific misconception the guide clears up.
Edgemont
Edgemont is not a tourism town. Short-term rental demand here is work crews, hunting season and Rally traffic passing through, not visitors staying to see something.

Schools

School districtdiffers

Custer
Custer School District 16-1Assignment 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.
Box Elder
Douglas School District 51-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Edgemont
Edgemont School District 23-1Assignment 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.
Spearfish
Full-service grocery options in town include Walmart, Safeway and Lueders Food Centers.
Box Elder
Lynn's Dakotamart is a full-service grocery store in town.
Edgemont
Small-town grocery and convenience in Edgemont, with Hot Springs about 35 miles east for more.

Healthcarediffers

Custer
Monument Health Custer Hospital and clinic are in town.
Spearfish
Monument Health Spearfish Hospital and outpatient clinics are in town.
Box Elder
Monument Health Box Elder Clinic provides primary and urgent care in town. Hospital-level care is in Rapid City.
Edgemont
No hospital in town. Fall River Health Services in Hot Springs is a 25 bed critical access hospital with a 24 hour emergency department.

Recreationdiffers

Custer
Custer State Park at the door, including Sylvan Lake, the Needles Highway, the wildlife loop and the September buffalo roundup.
Spearfish
D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, Black Hills State University events, and Terry Peak and Deadwood a short drive south.
Box Elder
The Liberty Center, the city park and ballfield network, and the South Dakota Air and Space Museum are the in-town recreation. The Badlands are a day trip, not your neighborhood park.
Edgemont
The hundred-year-old city park, the campground, the Elk Mountains and open country in every direction.

Mapped subdivisions

Outlines on filediffers

Custer
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.
Box Elder
16 mapped outlines, 3 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls.
Edgemont
No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.

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.
Spearfish
A university town with a walkable middle, growing fast enough that new construction has moved to the edges.
Box Elder
A young city building its first downtown at Liberty Plaza on 110 acres, with roughly 800 residential units planned.
Edgemont
A working BNSF crew-change town founded in 1890, at the far southern edge of the Hills below the Elk Mountains.

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.
Spearfish
A downtown you can walk across, Black Hills State and Spearfish Canyon out the back door, on city water and sewer.
Box Elder
The Ellsworth main gate is in town, 9 minutes from most addresses, on city water and sewer, with the region's newest housing pipeline.
Edgemont
More town per dollar than anywhere else in the region, with its own school district and city utilities.

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.
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.
Box Elder
Comparable sales run thin inside brand new subdivisions and builder incentives move the effective price without moving the list price. I-90 fills at shift change, and the flight line is close enough that you hear it.
Edgemont
A hundred miles from Rapid City, 35 from a hospital, with two unresolved questions hanging over the local economy.
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

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ComparingCuster, Spearfish, Box Elder, Edgemont

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