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 Green Valley, Keystone
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 corridorKeystoneCentral and Southern Hills
- Jurisdiction
- Green ValleyUnincorporated. No city government. Pennington County zones the lots and the County Sheriff patrols them.KeystoneIncorporated town of Keystone, with unincorporated Pennington County on the surrounding hillsides.
- Corridor
- Green ValleySD 44KeystoneUS 16A
- To downtown Rapid City
- Green ValleyAbout 6 miles northwestKeystoneAbout 25 minutes northeast
- To Ellsworth AFB
- Green ValleyAbout 15 minutes northKeystoneAbout 40 minutes
- Winter driving
- Green ValleyHighway 44 is a state priority. Everything off it is county, and open prairie means blowing snow reclaims a cleared road quickly.KeystoneBlack Hills elevation on canyon roads, and a town that empties out for the season. Iron Mountain Road and the scenic routes are not winter commuting roads.
Green Valley, Keystone
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 | Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorGreen Valley | Central and Southern HillsKeystone |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | ||
| Regiondiffers | Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor | Central and Southern Hills |
| County | Pennington County | Pennington 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. | Incorporated town of Keystone, with unincorporated Pennington County on the surrounding hillsides. |
| Corridordiffers | SD 44 | US 16A |
| To downtown Rapid Citydiffers | About 6 miles northwestDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel. | About 25 minutes northeastDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| To Ellsworth AFBdiffers | About 15 minutes northDriving time and distance, off peak. | 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. | Black Hills elevation on canyon roads, and a town that empties out for the season. Iron Mountain Road and the scenic routes are not winter commuting roads. |
| 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 $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. |
| Housing agediffers | Mostly late twentieth century through current. | An 1883 mining town, so genuinely old stock alongside newer builds and cabins. |
| New construction | Limited, mostly infill and small projects | Limited, mostly infill and small projects |
| Acreage | Some acreage, mostly platted town lots | Some acreage, mostly platted town lots |
| Typical lotdiffers | Generous by city standards, with larger parcels toward Radar Hill and Reservoir Road. | Small and steep in town, larger on the surrounding hillsides outside the limits. |
| Covenants and HOACovenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel. | Few plats here carry recorded covenants | Few plats here carry recorded covenants |
| Utilities and rules | ||
| Utility pattern | Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it | Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it |
| 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. | Town of Keystone municipal water inside the limits, drawn from town wells, with no violations on its current record. Parcels outside the town limits are on private wells. |
| Sewerdiffers | District sewer where the district reaches, private septic where it does not. Confirm per parcel. | Confirm with the town before you rely on it. The town operates public works, but I have not been able to verify from the public record whether it runs a collection system or which parcels it reaches. Outside the limits, expect private septic. |
| 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. | A 2 percent municipal lodging tax applies to transient stays. Whether a separate short term rental ordinance exists is not clear from the public record, so confirm with the town in writing. |
| 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. | Hill City School District 51-2Assignment 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. | Nothing full service in town. Hill City is the closest small grocery and Rapid City is the real shopping, about 25 minutes northeast. |
| Healthcarediffers | The Monument Health Rapid Valley Clinic on Elderberry Boulevard for walk-in care, with the hospital in Rapid City. | No clinic in town. Monument Health Custer Hospital has a 24 hour emergency department, and Rapid City has the larger hospital. |
| Recreationdiffers | Open prairie, the county land east of town, and the whole Black Hills half an hour the other direction. | Mount Rushmore is past the town boundary, the 1880 Train runs from the Winter Street depot, and Custer State Park and the Norbeck Scenic Byway are close. |
| The trade | ||
| Housing and patterndiffers | Flat prairie subdivisions east of the city, growing steadily, on county rules. | An 1883 mining camp turned tourism town at the gateway to Mount Rushmore, 240 residents and millions of visitors. |
| What you gaindiffers | More ground for the money six miles from Rapid City, with Ellsworth fifteen minutes north. | Nightly rental demand runs about as high as anywhere in the Black Hills, if the rules and the covenants check out for the specific property. |
| What you give updiffers | A school district line that runs through the community, and a water arrangement that changes street to street. | A seasonal town with no school, no grocery and no clinic, and a housing stock where half the doors are dark in winter. |
- Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorGreen Valley
- Central and Southern HillsKeystone
Where it sits
Regiondiffers
- Green Valley
- Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
- Keystone
- Central and Southern Hills
County
- Green Valley
- Pennington County
- Keystone
- Pennington 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.
- Keystone
- Incorporated town of Keystone, with unincorporated Pennington County on the surrounding hillsides.
Corridordiffers
- Green Valley
- SD 44
- Keystone
- US 16A
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.
- Keystone
- About 25 minutes northeastDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers
- Green Valley
- About 15 minutes northDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Keystone
- 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.
- Keystone
- Black Hills elevation on canyon roads, and a town that empties out for the season. Iron Mountain Road and the scenic routes are not winter commuting roads.
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.
- Keystone
- 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.
Housing agediffers
- Green Valley
- Mostly late twentieth century through current.
- Keystone
- An 1883 mining town, so genuinely old stock alongside newer builds and cabins.
New construction
- Green Valley
- Limited, mostly infill and small projects
- Keystone
- Limited, mostly infill and small projects
Acreage
- Green Valley
- Some acreage, mostly platted town lots
- Keystone
- Some acreage, mostly platted town lots
Typical lotdiffers
- Green Valley
- Generous by city standards, with larger parcels toward Radar Hill and Reservoir Road.
- Keystone
- Small and steep in town, larger on the surrounding hillsides outside the limits.
Covenants and HOA
Covenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel.- Green Valley
- Few plats here carry recorded covenants
- Keystone
- Few plats here carry recorded covenants
Utilities and rules
Utility pattern
- Green Valley
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
- Keystone
- 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.
- Keystone
- Town of Keystone municipal water inside the limits, drawn from town wells, with no violations on its current record. Parcels outside the town limits are on private wells.
Sewerdiffers
- Green Valley
- District sewer where the district reaches, private septic where it does not. Confirm per parcel.
- Keystone
- Confirm with the town before you rely on it. The town operates public works, but I have not been able to verify from the public record whether it runs a collection system or which parcels it reaches. Outside the limits, expect private septic.
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.
- Keystone
- A 2 percent municipal lodging tax applies to transient stays. Whether a separate short term rental ordinance exists is not clear from the public record, so confirm with the town in writing.
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.
- Keystone
- Hill City School District 51-2Assignment 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.
- Keystone
- Nothing full service in town. Hill City is the closest small grocery and Rapid City is the real shopping, about 25 minutes northeast.
Healthcarediffers
- Green Valley
- The Monument Health Rapid Valley Clinic on Elderberry Boulevard for walk-in care, with the hospital in Rapid City.
- Keystone
- No clinic in town. Monument Health Custer Hospital has a 24 hour emergency department, and Rapid City has the larger hospital.
Recreationdiffers
- Green Valley
- Open prairie, the county land east of town, and the whole Black Hills half an hour the other direction.
- Keystone
- Mount Rushmore is past the town boundary, the 1880 Train runs from the Winter Street depot, and Custer State Park and the Norbeck Scenic Byway are close.
The trade
Housing and patterndiffers
- Green Valley
- Flat prairie subdivisions east of the city, growing steadily, on county rules.
- Keystone
- An 1883 mining camp turned tourism town at the gateway to Mount Rushmore, 240 residents and millions of visitors.
What you gaindiffers
- Green Valley
- More ground for the money six miles from Rapid City, with Ellsworth fifteen minutes north.
- Keystone
- Nightly rental demand runs about as high as anywhere in the Black Hills, if the rules and the covenants check out for the specific property.
What you give updiffers
- Green Valley
- A school district line that runs through the community, and a water arrangement that changes street to street.
- Keystone
- A seasonal town with no school, no grocery and no clinic, and a housing stock where half the doors are dark in winter.
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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