Relocation

Compare Black Hills Communities

25 towns and unincorporated communities. Pick two to four and the full table appears underneath. Commutes are driving times to the Ellsworth main gate and downtown Rapid City. Median sold prices, where we have them, come from the MLS over the trailing twelve months with the source, window and sale count printed under each figure. Typical price bands are practical search ranges, not medians, and are labelled separately.

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5 of 25 communities

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 filters 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

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Selected, 2 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
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.
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Box Elder
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.
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Rapid City
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.
Selected Guide
Rapid Valley
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.
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Summerset
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.
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What changes

Between Hermosa, Rapid City

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

Region: HermosaCentral and Southern HillsRapid CityRapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
County: HermosaCuster CountyRapid CityPennington County
Jurisdiction: HermosaIncorporated town of Hermosa, with Custer County outside the town limitsRapid CityCity of Rapid City
Corridor: HermosaUS 79Rapid CityI-90 along the north edge
To downtown Rapid City: Hermosa26 min, 18.6 miRapid City5 min, 1.5 mi
To Ellsworth AFB: HermosaAbout 35 minutes, north through Rapid City to I-90Rapid City24 min, 13.8 mi

Side by side

Hermosa, 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.

The selected Black Hills communities compared on location, housing, utilities, schools, daily errands, mapped subdivisions and the trade each one asks for
Attribute	Central and Southern HillsHermosa	Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorRapid City
Where it sits
Regiondiffers	Central and Southern Hills	Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
Countydiffers	Custer County	Pennington County
JurisdictiondiffersCity versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.	Incorporated town of Hermosa, with Custer County outside the town limits	City of Rapid City
Corridordiffers	US 79	I-90 along the north edge
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers	26 min, 18.6 miDriving time and distance, off peak.	5 min, 1.5 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers	About 35 minutes, north through Rapid City to I-90Driving time and distance, off peak.	24 min, 13.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
Winter drivingdiffers	US 79 is state maintained and is the reason the commute works. Town streets and county roads clear on their own schedule.	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 $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.	$300k to $450kMedian sold $349,950. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 706 closed sales.
Housing agediffers	A mix, with older in-town stock and newer building on the edges.	Everything from 1875 downtown streets to current new construction
New constructiondiffers	Limited, mostly infill and small projects	Active, with subdivisions still building
Acreagediffers	Acreage parcels are common here	Some acreage, mostly platted town lots
Typical lotdiffers	Small town lots inside the limits, acreage 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 patterndiffers	Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it	City water and sewer inside the limits
Waterdiffers	Town of Hermosa water inside the limits. The Hermosa Water Users Association is a separate system, and rural parcels are commonly on private wells. Which one serves a given address has to be checked address by address.	City of Rapid City municipal
Sewerdiffers	Town sewer with lagoon treatment inside the limits, currently being expanded. Rural parcels are on private septic.	City of Rapid City sanitary sewer
Short term rentalsdiffers	Hermosa sits on the road to Custer State Park, which makes short-term rental a real question here. Nothing in the public record confirms a town ordinance either way, so confirm with the town before you count on the income.	Vacation rentals inside city limits are regulated, and the ordinance is recent. Read the guide before you count on rental income.
Schools
School districtdiffers	Custer School District 16-1Assignment 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	Pop's Grocery Shoppe on North Ferguson Street, a full grocery in town since 2007. Anything larger is Rapid City, 26 minutes north.	Groceries, the hospital and the airport are all inside the city, so a supply run is minutes rather than a trip.
Healthcarediffers	No clinic in town. Monument Health Rapid City Hospital is about 22 minutes north, and Monument Health Custer Hospital is about 27 miles southwest.	Monument Health's main campus is here, which is the reason a lot of the region drives in.
Recreationdiffers	Custer State Park is the back door, with Battle Creek running at the edge of town and the Buffalo Gap National Grassland to the east.	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 prairie town with its own grocery, library and county fairgrounds, at the point where the grassland meets the Hills.	A working city with a real downtown, older streets with mature trees near the middle and new subdivisions on the edges.
What you gaindiffers	Elementary and middle school in town, 26 minutes from Rapid City, with larger lots and rural utility tradeoffs common outside town.	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	High school is 27 miles away in Custer, and the water arrangement changes parcel to parcel.	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 HillsHermosa
Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorRapid City

Where it sits

Regiondiffers

Hermosa: Central and Southern Hills
Rapid City: Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor

Countydiffers

Hermosa: Custer County
Rapid City: Pennington County

Jurisdictiondiffers

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

Hermosa: Incorporated town of Hermosa, with Custer County outside the town limits
Rapid City: City of Rapid City

Corridordiffers

Hermosa: US 79
Rapid City: I-90 along the north edge

To downtown Rapid Citydiffers

Hermosa: 26 min, 18.6 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
Rapid City: 5 min, 1.5 miDriving time and distance, off peak.

To Ellsworth AFBdiffers

Hermosa: About 35 minutes, north through Rapid City to I-90Driving time and distance, off peak.
Rapid City: 24 min, 13.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak.

Winter drivingdiffers

Hermosa: US 79 is state maintained and is the reason the commute works. Town streets and county roads clear on their own schedule.
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

Hermosa: 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.
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

Hermosa: A mix, with older in-town stock and newer building on the edges.
Rapid City: Everything from 1875 downtown streets to current new construction

New constructiondiffers

Hermosa: Limited, mostly infill and small projects
Rapid City: Active, with subdivisions still building

Acreagediffers

Hermosa: Acreage parcels are common here
Rapid City: Some acreage, mostly platted town lots

Typical lotdiffers

Hermosa: Small town lots inside the limits, acreage 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.

Hermosa: 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 patterndiffers

Hermosa: Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
Rapid City: City water and sewer inside the limits

Waterdiffers

Hermosa: Town of Hermosa water inside the limits. The Hermosa Water Users Association is a separate system, and rural parcels are commonly on private wells. Which one serves a given address has to be checked address by address.
Rapid City: City of Rapid City municipal

Sewerdiffers

Hermosa: Town sewer with lagoon treatment inside the limits, currently being expanded. Rural parcels are on private septic.
Rapid City: City of Rapid City sanitary sewer

Short term rentalsdiffers

Hermosa: Hermosa sits on the road to Custer State Park, which makes short-term rental a real question here. Nothing in the public record confirms a town ordinance either way, so confirm with the town before you count on the income.
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

Hermosa: Custer School District 16-1Assignment 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

Hermosa: Pop's Grocery Shoppe on North Ferguson Street, a full grocery in town since 2007. Anything larger is Rapid City, 26 minutes north.
Rapid City: Groceries, the hospital and the airport are all inside the city, so a supply run is minutes rather than a trip.

Healthcarediffers

Hermosa: No clinic in town. Monument Health Rapid City Hospital is about 22 minutes north, and Monument Health Custer Hospital is about 27 miles southwest.
Rapid City: Monument Health's main campus is here, which is the reason a lot of the region drives in.

Recreationdiffers

Hermosa: Custer State Park is the back door, with Battle Creek running at the edge of town and the Buffalo Gap National Grassland to the east.
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

Hermosa: 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

Hermosa: A working prairie town with its own grocery, library and county fairgrounds, at the point where the grassland meets the Hills.
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

Hermosa: Elementary and middle school in town, 26 minutes from Rapid City, with larger lots and rural utility tradeoffs common outside town.
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

Hermosa: High school is 27 miles away in Custer, and the water arrangement changes parcel to parcel.
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.

Where this comes from

Commute figures are driving times off peak, from the community guide each card links to. Median sold prices come from the MLS, and each figure carries its own source, window and closing count, because Sturgis, Spearfish and the northern hills report through a different MLS than Rapid City. Under five closings there is no median, and the price row says so. Five to nine closings carries a small sample note. School districts follow the official boundary for the address, and the district office is the only place to confirm an assignment. Short term rental lines are summaries. Read the guide and the current ordinance before you count on rental income.

The filters use these definitions: under $400k is the MLS sold figure for the town, a median where one is published and otherwise the average sold, comes in under $400,000; close to ellsworth is 25 minutes or less to the Ellsworth main gate; close to rapid city is 20 minutes or less to downtown Rapid City; short commute is 15 minutes or less to either downtown Rapid City or the Ellsworth gate; new construction available is the guide establishes active or limited new construction; acreage available is acreage is common or present in the guide; city water and sewer is city water and sewer across the community; smaller market is fewer than 100 closed single family sales in the trailing twelve months; more rural is acreage is common, or water and sewer are not municipal throughout; established housing is the guide classifies the housing stock as established, meaning largely pre 2000; newer housing is the guide classifies a meaningful share of the housing stock as 2000s or later.

Every row here is a townwide summary and a single parcel can read differently. Buyer due diligence should include verifying water and sewer service, school assignment, recorded covenants and HOA obligations, rental rules, legal access, insurance availability and which jurisdiction inspects and permits the work, for the exact address. Confirm with the city or county, the utility or district, the school district office, the title company and your insurer as applicable.

Last updated August 2026

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ComparingHermosa, Rapid City

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