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.
7 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
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.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Between Edgemont, Rapid City
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 HillsRapid CityRapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
- County
- EdgemontFall River CountyRapid CityPennington County
- Jurisdiction
- EdgemontIncorporated city of Edgemont, with Fall River County outside the limits.Rapid CityCity of Rapid City
- Corridor
- EdgemontUS 18 and SD 471Rapid CityI-90 along the north edge
- To downtown Rapid City
- EdgemontAbout 100 miles northeastRapid City5 min, 1.5 mi
- To Ellsworth AFB
- EdgemontAbout 110 milesRapid City24 min, 13.8 mi
Edgemont, Rapid City
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 | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | ||
| Regiondiffers | Central and Southern Hills | Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor |
| Countydiffers | Fall River County | Pennington County |
| JurisdictiondiffersCity versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work. | Incorporated city of Edgemont, with Fall River County outside the limits. | City of Rapid City |
| Corridordiffers | US 18 and SD 471 | I-90 along the north edge |
| To downtown Rapid Citydiffers | About 100 miles northeastDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel. | 5 min, 1.5 miDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| To Ellsworth AFBdiffers | About 110 milesDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel. | 24 min, 13.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| 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. | April is the snowiest month at 10.1 inches on average, and the city averages about five inches a month against fifteen up in the Hills. |
| 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. | $300k to $450kMedian sold $349,950. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 706 closed sales. |
| Housing agediffers | An 1890 railroad town, so mostly older stock, with about a quarter of units vacant at the 2020 count. | Everything from 1875 downtown streets to current new construction |
| New constructiondiffers | None underway | Active, with subdivisions still building |
| Acreagediffers | Acreage parcels are common here | Some acreage, mostly platted town lots |
| 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 | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat. |
| Utilities and rules | ||
| Utility pattern | City water and sewer inside the limits | City water and sewer inside the limits |
| Waterdiffers | City of Edgemont municipal water. Rural parcels are on private wells. | City of Rapid City municipal |
| Sewerdiffers | City sewer inside the limits, with private septic on rural parcels. | City of Rapid City sanitary sewer |
| 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. | Vacation rentals inside city limits are regulated, and the ordinance is recent. Read the guide before you count on rental income. |
| Schools | ||
| School districtdiffers | Edgemont School District 23-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district. | Rapid City Area Schools 51-4Assignment 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. | Groceries, the hospital and the airport are all inside the city, so a supply run is minutes rather than a trip. |
| 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. | Monument Health's main campus is here, which is the reason a lot of the region drives in. |
| Recreationdiffers | The hundred-year-old city park, the campground, the Elk Mountains and open country in every direction. | Main Street Square and Art Alley downtown, with Mount Rushmore southwest, Custer State Park south and the Badlands east. |
| Mapped subdivisions | ||
| Outlines on filediffers | No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet. | 13 mapped outlines, 13 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls. |
| 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. | A working city with a real downtown, older streets with mature trees near the middle and new subdivisions on the edges. |
| What you gaindiffers | More town per dollar than anywhere else in the region, with its own school district and city utilities. | Everything the region has sits in one place: Monument Health, the airport, the widest run of housing stock, and 24 minutes to the Ellsworth gate. |
| What you give updiffers | A hundred miles from Rapid City, 35 from a hospital, with two unresolved questions hanging over the local economy. | You buy into the region's deepest demand, and the recent vacation rental ordinance limits what you can do with a house you do not live in. |
- Central and Southern HillsEdgemont
Where it sits
Regiondiffers
- Edgemont
- Central and Southern Hills
- Rapid City
- Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
Countydiffers
- Edgemont
- Fall River County
- Rapid City
- Pennington 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.
- Rapid City
- City of Rapid City
Corridordiffers
- Edgemont
- US 18 and SD 471
- Rapid City
- I-90 along the north edge
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers
- Edgemont
- About 100 miles northeastDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
- Rapid City
- 5 min, 1.5 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers
- Edgemont
- About 110 milesDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
- Rapid City
- 24 min, 13.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
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.
- Rapid City
- April is the snowiest month at 10.1 inches on average, and the city averages about five inches a month against fifteen up in the Hills.
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.
- Rapid City
- $300k to $450kMedian sold $349,950. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 706 closed sales.
Housing agediffers
- Edgemont
- An 1890 railroad town, so mostly older stock, with about a quarter of units vacant at the 2020 count.
- Rapid City
- Everything from 1875 downtown streets to current new construction
New constructiondiffers
- Edgemont
- None underway
- Rapid City
- Active, with subdivisions still building
Acreagediffers
- Edgemont
- Acreage parcels are common here
- Rapid City
- Some acreage, mostly platted town lots
Typical lotdiffers
- Edgemont
- Town lots inside the limits, ranch scale outside them.
- Rapid City
- 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
- Rapid City
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat.
Utilities and rules
Utility pattern
- Edgemont
- City water and sewer inside the limits
- Rapid City
- City water and sewer inside the limits
Waterdiffers
- Edgemont
- City of Edgemont municipal water. Rural parcels are on private wells.
- Rapid City
- City of Rapid City municipal
Sewerdiffers
- Edgemont
- City sewer inside the limits, with private septic on rural parcels.
- Rapid City
- City of Rapid City sanitary sewer
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.
- Rapid City
- Vacation rentals inside city limits are regulated, and the ordinance is recent. Read the guide before you count on rental income.
Schools
School districtdiffers
- Edgemont
- Edgemont School District 23-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
- Rapid City
- Rapid City Area Schools 51-4Assignment 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.
- Rapid City
- Groceries, the hospital and the airport are all inside the city, so a supply run is minutes rather than a trip.
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.
- Rapid City
- Monument Health's main campus is here, which is the reason a lot of the region drives in.
Recreationdiffers
- Edgemont
- The hundred-year-old city park, the campground, the Elk Mountains and open country in every direction.
- Rapid City
- Main Street Square and Art Alley downtown, with Mount Rushmore southwest, Custer State Park south and the Badlands east.
Mapped subdivisions
Outlines on filediffers
- Edgemont
- No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.
- Rapid City
- 13 mapped outlines, 13 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls.
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.
- Rapid City
- A working city with a real downtown, older streets with mature trees near the middle and new subdivisions on the edges.
What you gaindiffers
- Edgemont
- More town per dollar than anywhere else in the region, with its own school district and city utilities.
- Rapid City
- Everything the region has sits in one place: Monument Health, the airport, the widest run of housing stock, and 24 minutes to the Ellsworth gate.
What you give updiffers
- Edgemont
- A hundred miles from Rapid City, 35 from a hospital, with two unresolved questions hanging over the local economy.
- Rapid City
- You buy into the region's deepest demand, and the recent vacation rental ordinance limits what you can do with a house you do not live in.
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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