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

25 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 everything

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

Find a community

Selected, 4 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.

Black Hawk
Typical price
Median sold $348,949Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of October 2026. 48 closed sales.
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.
4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
Blucksberg Mountain
Typical price
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.
To Ellsworth AFB
Not measured for this page.Drive time is not measured for this community. Time it from the parcel itself.
To downtown Rapid City
Not measured for this page.Drive time is not measured for this community. Time it from the parcel itself.
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.
4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
Box Elder
Typical price
$340k to $400kMedian sold $369,900. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of October 2026. 184 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.
4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
Colonial Pine Hills
Typical price
About $702,000 average sold in the Sheridan Lake Road MLS area, 83 sales over 12 monthsAverage sold $701,678. Black Hills MLS, single family, 12 months through early October 2026, as of October 2026. 83 closed sales.
To Ellsworth AFB
About 25 to 30 minutes, through or around Rapid CityDriving time and distance, off peak.
To downtown Rapid City
Roughly 6 miles northeastDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
Utility pattern
Mostly private well and septic
School district
Rapid City Area School District 51-4Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Selected Guide
Green Valley
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.
Selected Guide
Piedmont
Typical price
$375k to $575kMedian sold $427,250. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of October 2026. 139 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.
4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
Rapid City
Typical price
$300k to $450kMedian sold $349,900. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of October 2026. 790 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.
4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
Rapid Valley
Typical price
About $351,000 average sold, 283 sales over 12 monthsAverage sold $350,670. Black Hills MLS, single family, 12 months through early October 2026, as of October 2026. 283 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.
4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
Summerset
Typical price
Median sold $445,000Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of October 2026. 53 closed sales.
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.
4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide

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.

Belle Fourche
Typical price
$275k to $375kMedian sold $335,000. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of October 2026. 91 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.
4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
Lead and Deadwood
Typical price
$320k to $500kMedian sold $450,000. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of October 2026. 130 closed sales.
To Ellsworth AFB
About 55 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
To downtown Rapid City
About 50 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
Utility pattern
Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify water and sewer service for the address.
School district
Lead-Deadwood School District 40-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
Newell
Typical price
A $175,000 median across 27 single family sales in the two years through early October 2026, mostly houses on lots under an acre. Irrigated project ground and dryland price separately.
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.
Selected Guide
Spearfish
Typical price
$400k to $600kMedian sold $535,000. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of October 2026. 161 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.
4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
St. Onge
Typical price
No figure published. The merged MLS shows one single family sale under a St. Onge address in the two years through early October 2026, at $488,000 on a one to five acre parcel, and one sale is not a price level.
To Ellsworth AFB
About 45 milesDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
To downtown Rapid City
About 44 miles, roughly 48 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
Utility pattern
Mostly private well and septic
School district
Spearfish 40-2 at the townsite, with Belle Fourche 09-1 to the north and Meade 46-1 to the east. Parcel specific.Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
Sturgis
Typical price
$300k to $450kMedian sold $425,000. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of October 2026. 129 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
Whitewood
Typical price
A $422,000 median across 26 single family sales with a Whitewood address in the twelve months through early October 2026, but that mixes two markets. The 15 on lots under an acre ran a $339,900 median, under Sturgis and Spearfish on the same size of lot. The 11 on an acre or more ran $955,000.
To Ellsworth AFB
About 40 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
To downtown Rapid City
About 35 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
Utility pattern
Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
School district
Meade School District 46-1, despite being in Lawrence CountyAssignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Selected 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.

Buffalo Gap
Typical price
One single family sale shows in the Black Hills MLS over 24 months, at $80,000. One closing is a sample of one rather than a price level, so read it that way.
To Ellsworth AFB
About 55 milesDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
To downtown Rapid City
About 45 miles, roughly 56 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
Utility pattern
Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
School district
Hot Springs School District 23-2, despite the town being in Custer CountyAssignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
Custer
Typical price
Median sold $548,000Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of October 2026. 67 closed sales.
To Ellsworth AFB
About an hour and ten minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
To downtown Rapid City
About 50 to 60 minutesDriving 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.
4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
Edgemont
Typical price
About $115,000 median sold, 19 sales over 24 monthsMedian sold $115,000. Black Hills MLS, single family, 24 months through early October 2026, as of October 2026. 19 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.
4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
Hermosa
Typical price
About $573,000 average sold, 36 sales over 24 monthsAverage sold $572,706. Black Hills MLS, single family, 24 months through early October 2026, as of October 2026. 36 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.
4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
Hill City
Typical price
Median sold $573,450Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of October 2026. 24 closed sales.
To Ellsworth AFB
About 45 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
To downtown Rapid City
About 30 to 35 minutes on US-16Driving time and distance, off peak.
Utility pattern
Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify water and sewer service for the address.
School district
Hill City School District 51-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
4 is the most that fits. Drop one first.Guide
Hot Springs
Typical price
Median sold $315,150Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of October 2026. 90 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
Keystone
Typical price
About $705,000 median sold, but only 15 sales over 24 monthsMedian sold $705,000. Black Hills MLS, single family, 24 months through early October 2026, as of October 2026. 15 closed sales.
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.
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.

New Underwood
Typical price
About $353,000 average sold, 23 sales over 24 monthsAverage sold $352,841. Black Hills MLS, single family, 24 months through early October 2026, as of October 2026. 23 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
Wall
Typical price
About $277,000 average sold, 19 sales over 24 monthsAverage sold $277,277. Black Hills MLS, single family, 24 months through early October 2026, as of October 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 Green Valley, Colonial Pine Hills, Newell, Whitewood

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

Region: Green ValleyRapid City and the Ellsworth corridorColonial Pine HillsRapid City and the Ellsworth corridorNewellNorthern Hills and I-90WhitewoodNorthern Hills and I-90
County: Green ValleyPennington CountyColonial Pine HillsPennington CountyNewellButte CountyWhitewoodLawrence County
Jurisdiction: Green ValleyUnincorporated. No city government. Pennington County zones the lots and the County Sheriff patrols them.Colonial Pine HillsUnincorporated. There is no city government. Pennington County zones the lots, issues the permits and patrols the roads.NewellIncorporated municipality of Newell, with Butte County outside the limits.WhitewoodNot recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.
Corridor: Green ValleySD 44Colonial Pine HillsUS 16 and Sheridan Lake RoadNewellUS 212 and SD 79WhitewoodI-90 and US-85
To downtown Rapid City: Green ValleyAbout 6 miles northwestColonial Pine HillsRoughly 6 miles northeastNewellAbout 54 miles, roughly 70 minutesWhitewoodAbout 35 minutes
To Ellsworth AFB: Green ValleyAbout 15 minutes northColonial Pine HillsAbout 25 to 30 minutes, through or around Rapid CityNewellAbout 60 milesWhitewoodAbout 40 minutes

Side by side

Green Valley, Colonial Pine Hills, Newell, Whitewood

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 corridorGreen Valley	Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorColonial Pine Hills	Northern Hills and I-90Newell	Northern Hills and I-90Whitewood
Where it sits
Regiondiffers	Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor	Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor	Northern Hills and I-90	Northern Hills and I-90
Countydiffers	Pennington County	Pennington County	Butte County	Lawrence County
JurisdictiondiffersCity versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.	Unincorporated. No city government. Pennington County zones the lots and the County Sheriff patrols them.	Unincorporated. There is no city government. Pennington County zones the lots, issues the permits and patrols the roads.	Incorporated municipality of Newell, with Butte County outside the limits.	Not recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.
Corridordiffers	SD 44	US 16 and Sheridan Lake Road	US 212 and SD 79	I-90 and US-85
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers	About 6 miles northwestDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.	Roughly 6 miles northeastDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.	About 54 miles, roughly 70 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.	About 35 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers	About 15 minutes northDriving time and distance, off peak.	About 25 to 30 minutes, through or around Rapid CityDriving time and distance, off peak.	About 60 milesDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.	About 40 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
Winter drivingdiffers	Highway 44 is a state priority. Everything off it is county, and open prairie means blowing snow reclaims a cleared road quickly.	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.	US 212 and SD 79 are state maintained, and the state rebuilt the Nisland to Newell stretch and the south junction in 2025. Off the highway it is open country and wind moves snow.	I-90 and US-85 are state maintained. The town streets and the roads out past them clear on their own schedule.
Housing and lots
Typical pricediffers	No published median exists for the community. Closed sales on the specific street are the only figure worth quoting here.	About $702,000 average sold in the Sheridan Lake Road MLS area, 83 sales over 12 monthsAverage sold $701,678. Black Hills MLS, single family, 12 months through early October 2026, as of October 2026. 83 closed sales.	A $175,000 median across 27 single family sales in the two years through early October 2026, mostly houses on lots under an acre. Irrigated project ground and dryland price separately.	A $422,000 median across 26 single family sales with a Whitewood address in the twelve months through early October 2026, but that mixes two markets. The 15 on lots under an acre ran a $339,900 median, under Sturgis and Spearfish on the same size of lot. The 11 on an acre or more ran $955,000.
Housing agediffers	Mostly late twentieth century through current.	Platted over several decades, so 1970s cabins and current builds sit on the same road.	A 1910 townsite, so genuinely old in-town stock with newer building scattered around it.	Older and modest through town, so systems matter more than finishes.
New construction	Limited, mostly infill and small projects	Limited, mostly infill and small projects	Limited, mostly infill and small projects	Limited, mostly infill and small projects
Acreagediffers	Some acreage, mostly platted town lots	Acreage parcels are common here	Acreage parcels are common here	Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot size.
Typical lotdiffers	Generous by city standards, with larger parcels toward Radar Hill and Reservoir Road.	Large by Rapid City standards, from generous lots to several acres.	Small townsite lots, then irrigated project acreage, then rangeland, in that order as you drive out.	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	Few plats here carry recorded covenants	Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat.
Utilities and rules
Utility patterndiffers	Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it	Mostly private well and septic	Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it	Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
Waterdiffers	Not a single system. The Rapid Valley Sanitary District's service area extends past the Rapid Valley boundary and is the likely supplier for much of Green Valley, and there is also a separate Green Valley Sanitary District administered alongside it. Outlying parcels toward Radar Hill and Reservoir Road are on private wells. Confirm per parcel.	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.	Town of Newell municipal water inside the limits, from groundwater, serving about 378 connections. Rural properties are on the Butte-Meade Sanitary Water District or on private wells. Irrigation water from the Belle Fourche Irrigation District is an entirely separate thing from domestic 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.
Sewerdiffers	District sewer where the district reaches, private septic where it does not. Confirm per parcel.	Private on-site septic throughout, permitted by Pennington County. There is no municipal sewer and no lagoon serving the area.	Municipal sewer inside the limits, billed monthly alongside water. Rural parcels are on private septic.	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	Unincorporated county, so no municipal short-term rental ordinance applies. County zoning and any subdivision covenants govern, and state licensing applies once you rent.	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.	Newell is an agricultural town rather than a tourism town. Short-term rental demand here is hunting season, Rally week and ag events, not year-round visitors.	No short term rental provisions in the city code, and Rally season renting is common here under state rules.
Schools
School districtdiffers	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.	Rapid City Area School District 51-4Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.	Newell School District 09-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.	Meade School District 46-1, despite being in Lawrence CountyAssignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Daily errands
Groceriesdiffers	The Highway 44 corridor and east Rapid City, a few minutes northwest.	Everything is in Rapid City, roughly fifteen minutes down US 16.	A grocery store and a hardware store in town, with Belle Fourche about 25 miles for anything larger.	No full-service grocery store is in Whitewood. Most larger grocery trips go to Sturgis or Spearfish.
Healthcarediffers	The Monument Health Rapid Valley Clinic on Elderberry Boulevard for walk-in care, with the hospital in Rapid City.	No clinic up here. Monument Health Rapid City Hospital and the Rapid City clinics are the answer.	No hospital or clinic in Newell. Sturgis is about 26 miles, Spearfish about 37, and Monument Health has a clinic in Belle Fourche.	Monument Health Sturgis HospitalNo hospital in Whitewood. Sturgis is the nearer of the two, with Spearfish next.
Recreationdiffers	Open prairie, the county land east of town, and the whole Black Hills half an hour the other direction.	Sheridan Lake, Pactola, the Mickelson Trail and the whole central Hills network start where the subdivisions end.	A nine-hole golf course, the Newell Museum, the Belle Fourche Reservoir north of town, and hunting in every direction.	Sturgis and Bear Butte State Park about eight miles east, Deadwood 10 to 12 miles southwest, Spearfish and Spearfish Canyon 10 to 12 miles northwest.
Mapped subdivisions
Outlines on filediffers	No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.	No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.	No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.	23 mapped outlines, 0 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls.
The trade
Housing and patterndiffers	Flat prairie subdivisions east of the city, growing steadily, on county rules.	Ponderosa pine subdivisions platted over decades, no two alike, on county rules six miles from the city.	A federal reclamation townsite from 1910 at the center of a 57,000 acre irrigation project, with a sale barn and its own school.	A quiet main street with Sturgis, Spearfish and Deadwood each about ten minutes out and the interstate right there.
What you gaindiffers	More ground for the money six miles from Rapid City, with Ellsworth fifteen minutes north.	Hills elevation, trees and lot size with a Rapid City commute and Rapid City schools.	A complete small town with its own K through 12 school and irrigated ground around it, at prices the Hills corridor cannot touch.	Small town prices with three larger towns about ten minutes out in three directions, in Meade 46-1 despite sitting in Lawrence County.
What you give updiffers	A school district line that runs through the community, and a water arrangement that changes street to street.	Well or association water, septic on every parcel, private roads in places, and wildfire exposure that affects insurance.	Seventy minutes to Rapid City, 26 miles to a hospital, and an irrigation district assessment that attaches to the land as a lien.	Anything past the basics is a drive to Sturgis, Spearfish or Deadwood, and the town-name sale figures mix houses on town-size lots with acreage that sells for nearly three times as much.

Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorGreen Valley
Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorColonial Pine Hills
Northern Hills and I-90Newell
Northern Hills and I-90Whitewood

Where it sits

Regiondiffers

Green Valley: Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
Colonial Pine Hills: Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
Newell: Northern Hills and I-90
Whitewood: Northern Hills and I-90

Countydiffers

Green Valley: Pennington County
Colonial Pine Hills: Pennington County
Newell: Butte County
Whitewood: Lawrence County

Jurisdictiondiffers

City versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.

Green Valley: Unincorporated. No city government. Pennington County zones the lots and the County Sheriff patrols them.
Colonial Pine Hills: Unincorporated. There is no city government. Pennington County zones the lots, issues the permits and patrols the roads.
Newell: Incorporated municipality of Newell, with Butte County outside the limits.
Whitewood: Not recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.

Corridordiffers

Green Valley: SD 44
Colonial Pine Hills: US 16 and Sheridan Lake Road
Newell: US 212 and SD 79
Whitewood: I-90 and US-85

To downtown Rapid Citydiffers

Green Valley: About 6 miles northwestDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
Colonial Pine Hills: Roughly 6 miles northeastDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
Newell: About 54 miles, roughly 70 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
Whitewood: About 35 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.

To Ellsworth AFBdiffers

Green Valley: About 15 minutes northDriving time and distance, off peak.
Colonial Pine Hills: About 25 to 30 minutes, through or around Rapid CityDriving time and distance, off peak.
Newell: About 60 milesDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
Whitewood: About 40 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.

Winter drivingdiffers

Green Valley: Highway 44 is a state priority. Everything off it is county, and open prairie means blowing snow reclaims a cleared road quickly.
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.
Newell: US 212 and SD 79 are state maintained, and the state rebuilt the Nisland to Newell stretch and the south junction in 2025. Off the highway it is open country and wind moves snow.
Whitewood: I-90 and US-85 are state maintained. The town streets and the roads out past them clear on their own schedule.

Housing and lots

Typical pricediffers

Green Valley: No published median exists for the community. Closed sales on the specific street are the only figure worth quoting here.
Colonial Pine Hills: About $702,000 average sold in the Sheridan Lake Road MLS area, 83 sales over 12 monthsAverage sold $701,678. Black Hills MLS, single family, 12 months through early October 2026, as of October 2026. 83 closed sales.
Newell: A $175,000 median across 27 single family sales in the two years through early October 2026, mostly houses on lots under an acre. Irrigated project ground and dryland price separately.
Whitewood: A $422,000 median across 26 single family sales with a Whitewood address in the twelve months through early October 2026, but that mixes two markets. The 15 on lots under an acre ran a $339,900 median, under Sturgis and Spearfish on the same size of lot. The 11 on an acre or more ran $955,000.

Housing agediffers

Green Valley: Mostly late twentieth century through current.
Colonial Pine Hills: Platted over several decades, so 1970s cabins and current builds sit on the same road.
Newell: A 1910 townsite, so genuinely old in-town stock with newer building scattered around it.
Whitewood: Older and modest through town, so systems matter more than finishes.

New construction

Green Valley: Limited, mostly infill and small projects
Colonial Pine Hills: Limited, mostly infill and small projects
Newell: Limited, mostly infill and small projects
Whitewood: Limited, mostly infill and small projects

Acreagediffers

Green Valley: Some acreage, mostly platted town lots
Colonial Pine Hills: Acreage parcels are common here
Newell: Acreage parcels are common here
Whitewood: Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot size.

Typical lotdiffers

Green Valley: Generous by city standards, with larger parcels toward Radar Hill and Reservoir Road.
Colonial Pine Hills: Large by Rapid City standards, from generous lots to several acres.
Newell: Small townsite lots, then irrigated project acreage, then rangeland, in that order as you drive out.
Whitewood: 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.

Green Valley: Few plats here carry recorded covenants
Colonial Pine Hills: Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others
Newell: Few plats here carry recorded covenants
Whitewood: Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat.

Utilities and rules

Utility patterndiffers

Green Valley: Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
Colonial Pine Hills: Mostly private well and septic
Newell: Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
Whitewood: Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it

Waterdiffers

Green Valley: Not a single system. The Rapid Valley Sanitary District's service area extends past the Rapid Valley boundary and is the likely supplier for much of Green Valley, and there is also a separate Green Valley Sanitary District administered alongside it. Outlying parcels toward Radar Hill and Reservoir Road are on private wells. Confirm per parcel.
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.
Newell: Town of Newell municipal water inside the limits, from groundwater, serving about 378 connections. Rural properties are on the Butte-Meade Sanitary Water District or on private wells. Irrigation water from the Belle Fourche Irrigation District is an entirely separate thing from domestic water.
Whitewood: 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.

Sewerdiffers

Green Valley: District sewer where the district reaches, private septic where it does not. Confirm per parcel.
Colonial Pine Hills: Private on-site septic throughout, permitted by Pennington County. There is no municipal sewer and no lagoon serving the area.
Newell: Municipal sewer inside the limits, billed monthly alongside water. Rural parcels are on private septic.
Whitewood: 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

Green Valley: Unincorporated county, so no municipal short-term rental ordinance applies. County zoning and any subdivision covenants govern, and state licensing applies once you rent.
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.
Newell: Newell is an agricultural town rather than a tourism town. Short-term rental demand here is hunting season, Rally week and ag events, not year-round visitors.
Whitewood: No short term rental provisions in the city code, and Rally season renting is common here under state rules.

Schools

School districtdiffers

Green Valley: 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.
Colonial Pine Hills: Rapid City Area School District 51-4Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Newell: Newell School District 09-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Whitewood: Meade School District 46-1, despite being in Lawrence CountyAssignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.

Daily errands

Groceriesdiffers

Green Valley: The Highway 44 corridor and east Rapid City, a few minutes northwest.
Colonial Pine Hills: Everything is in Rapid City, roughly fifteen minutes down US 16.
Newell: A grocery store and a hardware store in town, with Belle Fourche about 25 miles for anything larger.
Whitewood: No full-service grocery store is in Whitewood. Most larger grocery trips go to Sturgis or Spearfish.

Healthcarediffers

Green Valley: The Monument Health Rapid Valley Clinic on Elderberry Boulevard for walk-in care, with the hospital in Rapid City.
Colonial Pine Hills: No clinic up here. Monument Health Rapid City Hospital and the Rapid City clinics are the answer.
Newell: No hospital or clinic in Newell. Sturgis is about 26 miles, Spearfish about 37, and Monument Health has a clinic in Belle Fourche.
Whitewood: Monument Health Sturgis HospitalNo hospital in Whitewood. Sturgis is the nearer of the two, with Spearfish next.

Recreationdiffers

Green Valley: Open prairie, the county land east of town, and the whole Black Hills half an hour the other direction.
Colonial Pine Hills: Sheridan Lake, Pactola, the Mickelson Trail and the whole central Hills network start where the subdivisions end.
Newell: A nine-hole golf course, the Newell Museum, the Belle Fourche Reservoir north of town, and hunting in every direction.
Whitewood: Sturgis and Bear Butte State Park about eight miles east, Deadwood 10 to 12 miles southwest, Spearfish and Spearfish Canyon 10 to 12 miles northwest.

Mapped subdivisions

Outlines on filediffers

Green Valley: No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.
Colonial Pine Hills: No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.
Newell: No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.
Whitewood: 23 mapped outlines, 0 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls.

The trade

Housing and patterndiffers

Green Valley: Flat prairie subdivisions east of the city, growing steadily, on county rules.
Colonial Pine Hills: Ponderosa pine subdivisions platted over decades, no two alike, on county rules six miles from the city.
Newell: A federal reclamation townsite from 1910 at the center of a 57,000 acre irrigation project, with a sale barn and its own school.
Whitewood: A quiet main street with Sturgis, Spearfish and Deadwood each about ten minutes out and the interstate right there.

What you gaindiffers

Green Valley: More ground for the money six miles from Rapid City, with Ellsworth fifteen minutes north.
Colonial Pine Hills: Hills elevation, trees and lot size with a Rapid City commute and Rapid City schools.
Newell: A complete small town with its own K through 12 school and irrigated ground around it, at prices the Hills corridor cannot touch.
Whitewood: Small town prices with three larger towns about ten minutes out in three directions, in Meade 46-1 despite sitting in Lawrence County.

What you give updiffers

Green Valley: A school district line that runs through the community, and a water arrangement that changes street to street.
Colonial Pine Hills: Well or association water, septic on every parcel, private roads in places, and wildfire exposure that affects insurance.
Newell: Seventy minutes to Rapid City, 26 miles to a hospital, and an irrigation district assessment that attaches to the land as a lien.
Whitewood: Anything past the basics is a drive to Sturgis, Spearfish or Deadwood, and the town-name sale figures mix houses on town-size lots with acreage that sells for nearly three times as much.

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

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