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 Edgemont, Blucksberg Mountain
The rows below are the ones where these do not read the same. Ordered as the table runs, not by importance.
- Region
- EdgemontCentral and Southern HillsBlucksberg MountainRapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
- County
- EdgemontFall River CountyBlucksberg MountainMeade County
- Jurisdiction
- EdgemontIncorporated city of Edgemont, with Fall River County outside the limits.Blucksberg MountainUnincorporated Meade County
- Corridor
- EdgemontUS 18 and SD 471Blucksberg MountainI-90
- To downtown Rapid City
- EdgemontAbout 100 miles northeastBlucksberg MountainNot measured for this page.
- To Ellsworth AFB
- EdgemontAbout 110 milesBlucksberg MountainNot measured for this page.
Edgemont, Blucksberg Mountain
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 HillsEdgemont | Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorBlucksberg Mountain |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | ||
| Regiondiffers | Central and Southern Hills | Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor |
| Countydiffers | Fall River County | Meade County |
| JurisdictiondiffersCity versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work. | Incorporated city of Edgemont, with Fall River County outside the limits. | Unincorporated Meade County |
| Corridordiffers | US 18 and SD 471 | I-90 |
| To downtown Rapid Citydiffers | About 100 miles northeastDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel. | Not measured for this page.Drive time is not measured for this community. Time it from the parcel itself. |
| To Ellsworth AFBdiffers | About 110 milesDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel. | Not measured for this page.Drive time is not measured for this community. Time it from the parcel itself. |
| Winter drivingdiffers | 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. | This is hill ground off the interstate. Ask who plows the interior road serving the parcel, because some are not county maintained. |
| Housing and lots | ||
| Typical pricediffers | 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. | No verified closed sale set is available for Blucksberg Mountain, so no price level is printed here. The five recorded plats differ enough that one figure would not describe any of them. |
| Housing agediffers | An 1890 railroad town, so mostly older stock, with about a quarter of units vacant at the 2020 count. | Mixed ages. Older homes near the core, newer construction toward the edges. |
| New constructiondiffers | None underway | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Check current permits with the city or county. |
| Acreage | Acreage parcels are common here | Acreage parcels are common here |
| Typical lotdiffers | Town lots inside the limits, ranch scale outside them. | Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions. |
| Covenants and HOAdiffersCovenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel. | Few plats here carry recorded covenants | Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others |
| Utilities and rules | ||
| Utility patterndiffers | City water and sewer inside the limits | Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it |
| Waterdiffers | City of Edgemont municipal water. Rural parcels are on private wells. | Varies by plat. Blucksberg Mountain #1 is a regulated community water system. Confirm provider and rate by parcel. |
| Sewerdiffers | City sewer inside the limits, with private septic on rural parcels. | Septic common in current listings. Confirm the system by address. |
| Short term rentalsdiffers | 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. | Short term rental rules here come from Meade County and from the covenants on the recorded plat, not from a city ordinance. |
| Schools | ||
| School districtdiffers | Edgemont School District 23-1Assignment 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 | Small-town grocery and convenience in Edgemont, with Hot Springs about 35 miles east for more. | Not recorded in this guide. Check what is open near the address. |
| Healthcarediffers | No hospital in town. Fall River Health Services in Hot Springs is a 25 bed critical access hospital with a 24 hour emergency department. | Not recorded in this guide. Confirm the nearest clinic and hospital by address. |
| Recreationdiffers | The hundred-year-old city park, the campground, the Elk Mountains and open country in every direction. | Not recorded in this guide. Read the guide for what residents use here. |
| The trade | ||
| Housing and patterndiffers | A working BNSF crew-change town founded in 1890, at the far southern edge of the Hills below the Elk Mountains. | Five separate recorded plats of residential acreage on the hill between Rapid City and Sturgis, unincorporated. |
| What you gaindiffers | More town per dollar than anywhere else in the region, with its own school district and city utilities. | Read the guide |
| What you give updiffers | A hundred miles from Rapid City, 35 from a hospital, with two unresolved questions hanging over the local economy. | Utilities, roads and covenants change from one recorded plat to the next, so nothing you learn about one street transfers to the next one over. |
- Central and Southern HillsEdgemont
- Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorBlucksberg Mountain
Where it sits
Regiondiffers
- Edgemont
- Central and Southern Hills
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
Countydiffers
- Edgemont
- Fall River County
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Meade County
Jurisdictiondiffers
City versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.- Edgemont
- Incorporated city of Edgemont, with Fall River County outside the limits.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Unincorporated Meade County
Corridordiffers
- Edgemont
- US 18 and SD 471
- Blucksberg Mountain
- I-90
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers
- Edgemont
- About 100 miles northeastDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Not measured for this page.Drive time is not measured for this community. Time it from the parcel itself.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers
- Edgemont
- About 110 milesDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Not measured for this page.Drive time is not measured for this community. Time it from the parcel itself.
Winter drivingdiffers
- 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.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- This is hill ground off the interstate. Ask who plows the interior road serving the parcel, because some are not county maintained.
Housing and lots
Typical pricediffers
- 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.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- No verified closed sale set is available for Blucksberg Mountain, so no price level is printed here. The five recorded plats differ enough that one figure would not describe any of them.
Housing agediffers
- Edgemont
- An 1890 railroad town, so mostly older stock, with about a quarter of units vacant at the 2020 count.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Mixed ages. Older homes near the core, newer construction toward the edges.
New constructiondiffers
- Edgemont
- None underway
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Check current permits with the city or county.
Acreage
- Edgemont
- Acreage parcels are common here
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Acreage parcels are common here
Typical lotdiffers
- Edgemont
- Town lots inside the limits, ranch scale outside them.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions.
Covenants and HOAdiffers
Covenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel.- Edgemont
- Few plats here carry recorded covenants
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others
Utilities and rules
Utility patterndiffers
- Edgemont
- City water and sewer inside the limits
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
Waterdiffers
- Edgemont
- City of Edgemont municipal water. Rural parcels are on private wells.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Varies by plat. Blucksberg Mountain #1 is a regulated community water system. Confirm provider and rate by parcel.
Sewerdiffers
- Edgemont
- City sewer inside the limits, with private septic on rural parcels.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Septic common in current listings. Confirm the system by address.
Short term rentalsdiffers
- 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.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Short term rental rules here come from Meade County and from the covenants on the recorded plat, not from a city ordinance.
Schools
School districtdiffers
- Edgemont
- Edgemont School District 23-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Meade School District 46-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Daily errands
Groceriesdiffers
- Edgemont
- Small-town grocery and convenience in Edgemont, with Hot Springs about 35 miles east for more.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Not recorded in this guide. Check what is open near the address.
Healthcarediffers
- 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.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Not recorded in this guide. Confirm the nearest clinic and hospital by address.
Recreationdiffers
- Edgemont
- The hundred-year-old city park, the campground, the Elk Mountains and open country in every direction.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Not recorded in this guide. Read the guide for what residents use here.
The trade
Housing and patterndiffers
- Edgemont
- A working BNSF crew-change town founded in 1890, at the far southern edge of the Hills below the Elk Mountains.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Five separate recorded plats of residential acreage on the hill between Rapid City and Sturgis, unincorporated.
What you gaindiffers
- Edgemont
- More town per dollar than anywhere else in the region, with its own school district and city utilities.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Read the guide
What you give updiffers
- Edgemont
- A hundred miles from Rapid City, 35 from a hospital, with two unresolved questions hanging over the local economy.
- Blucksberg Mountain
- Utilities, roads and covenants change from one recorded plat to the next, so nothing you learn about one street transfers to the next one over.
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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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.