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

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

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.

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
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.
Selected 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.

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

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.

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

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.

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 Hermosa, Rapid Valley, New Underwood, 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 ValleyRapid City and the Ellsworth corridorNew UnderwoodPrairie and BadlandsRapid CityRapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
County: HermosaCuster CountyRapid ValleyPennington CountyNew UnderwoodPennington CountyRapid CityPennington County
Jurisdiction: HermosaIncorporated town of Hermosa, with Custer County outside the town limitsRapid ValleyUnincorporated. There is no city government. Pennington County is the governing body, and Rapid City's subdivision rules still apply within three miles of the city limits.New UnderwoodIncorporated city of New Underwood, with Pennington County outside the limitsRapid CityCity of Rapid City
Corridor: HermosaUS 79Rapid ValleySD 44 and Elk Vale RoadNew UnderwoodI-90 exit 78Rapid CityI-90 along the north edge
To downtown Rapid City: Hermosa26 min, 18.6 miRapid Valley11 min, 5.2 miNew UnderwoodAbout 18 miles west on I-90Rapid City5 min, 1.5 mi
To Ellsworth AFB: HermosaAbout 35 minutes, north through Rapid City to I-90Rapid Valley22 min, 10.4 miNew UnderwoodAbout 11 miles, exit 78 to the main gate at exit 67ARapid City24 min, 13.8 mi

Side by side

Hermosa, Rapid Valley, New Underwood, 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 Valley	Prairie and BadlandsNew Underwood	Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorRapid City
Where it sits
Regiondiffers	Central and Southern Hills	Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor	Prairie and Badlands	Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
Countydiffers	Custer County	Pennington County	Pennington 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	Unincorporated. There is no city government. Pennington County is the governing body, and Rapid City's subdivision rules still apply within three miles of the city limits.	Incorporated city of New Underwood, with Pennington County outside the limits	City of Rapid City
Corridordiffers	US 79	SD 44 and Elk Vale Road	I-90 exit 78	I-90 along the north edge
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers	26 min, 18.6 miDriving time and distance, off peak.	11 min, 5.2 miDriving time and distance, off peak.	About 18 miles west on I-90Distance 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 35 minutes, north through Rapid City to I-90Driving time and distance, off peak.	22 min, 10.4 miDriving time and distance, off peak.	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.	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.	Highway 44 and Elk Vale are state and county priorities. Interior subdivision streets are county maintained and clear after the arterials do.	I-90 is the commute and it is state maintained. Everything off the interstate is county and city plowing on its own schedule, and this is open prairie, so wind moves snow back onto the road.	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 $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.	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.	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.	$300k to $450kMedian sold $349,900. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of October 2026. 790 closed sales.
Housing agediffers	A mix, with older in-town stock and newer building on the edges.	Mostly late twentieth century through current, with active building on the edges.	Older in-town stock with scattered newer building.	Everything from 1875 downtown streets to current new construction
New constructiondiffers	Limited, mostly infill and small projects	Active, with subdivisions still building	Limited, mostly infill and small projects	Active, with subdivisions still building
Acreagediffers	Acreage parcels are common here	Some acreage, mostly platted town lots	Acreage parcels are common here	Some acreage, mostly platted town lots
Typical lotdiffers	Small town lots inside the limits, acreage outside them.	Suburban lots through the core, larger parcels toward Reservoir and Radar Hill Roads.	Standard town lots on the grid, with ranch and acreage ground starting where the limits end.	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	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.	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.	Rapid Valley Sanitary District, treating Rapid Creek water at its own plant, with the ability to buy treated water from Rapid City at peak demand. Parcels outside the district are on private wells.	City of New Underwood water inside the limits, drawn from two Madison Aquifer wells. Outside the limits, parcels are on small water associations or private wells.	City of Rapid City municipal
Sewerdiffers	Town sewer with lagoon treatment inside the limits, currently being expanded. Rural parcels are on private septic.	Rapid Valley Sanitary District owns and maintains the collection system, and Rapid City treats the wastewater under an intergovernmental agreement. Parcels outside the district are on private septic.	City sewer inside the limits. Rural parcels are on private septic permitted by Pennington County.	City of Rapid City sanitary sewer
Fire protectiondiffersThe responding department and the distance to it both affect an insurance quote.	Not recorded townwide in this guide. Confirm the responding department by address.	Rapid Valley Volunteer Fire Department, which also provides EMS and wildland response.	Not recorded townwide in this guide. Confirm the responding department by address.	Not recorded townwide in this guide. Confirm the responding department by address.
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.	Unincorporated Pennington County has no city short-term rental ordinance to comply with, which is not the same as no rules. County zoning and any subdivision covenants still govern, and state licensing applies.	New Underwood is a highway town rather than a tourism town, and no short-term rental ordinance surfaced in the public record. Confirm with the city before you count on rental 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.	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.	New Underwood School District 51-3Assignment 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.	Retail and everyday shopping run along Highway 44 on the southern edge, with additional grocery options a few minutes west in Rapid City.	BJ's Country Store at the exit 78 interchange for fuel and convenience. Full grocery shopping is Rapid City, about 18 miles west.	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 Rapid Valley Clinic provides primary and urgent care in the community. Hospital-level care is in Rapid City.	No clinic in town. The Monument Health Rapid Valley Clinic on Elderberry Boulevard has walk-in urgent care seven days a week, and the hospital is in Rapid City.	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.	Rapid Creek, the county parks east of town, and everything the Hills offer half an hour west.	The municipal pool, with a donor-funded free swim program, and open prairie 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.	No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.	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.	The region's largest unincorporated community: suburban streets, high ownership, county government.	A prairie town with its own K through 12 campus and its own interstate exit, 18 miles from the 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	Elementary and middle school in town, 26 minutes from Rapid City, with larger lots and rural utility tradeoffs common outside town.	Rapid City schools and a five mile commute without Rapid City property taxes, plus a walk-in clinic in the neighborhood.	The only town this close to Ellsworth that still educates its own kids from kindergarten through graduation.	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.	No city services, a sanitary district bill instead of a city utility bill, and an annexation line that only the parcel record can settle.	You give up the grocery store, the clinic and the hardware store, and you inherit a small municipal water system with a publicly acknowledged supply question.	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 Valley
Prairie and BadlandsNew Underwood
Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorRapid City

Where it sits

Regiondiffers

Hermosa: Central and Southern Hills
Rapid Valley: Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
New Underwood: Prairie and Badlands
Rapid City: Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor

Countydiffers

Hermosa: Custer County
Rapid Valley: Pennington County
New Underwood: Pennington 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 Valley: Unincorporated. There is no city government. Pennington County is the governing body, and Rapid City's subdivision rules still apply within three miles of the city limits.
New Underwood: Incorporated city of New Underwood, with Pennington County outside the limits
Rapid City: City of Rapid City

Corridordiffers

Hermosa: US 79
Rapid Valley: SD 44 and Elk Vale Road
New Underwood: I-90 exit 78
Rapid City: I-90 along the north edge

To downtown Rapid Citydiffers

Hermosa: 26 min, 18.6 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
Rapid Valley: 11 min, 5.2 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
New Underwood: About 18 miles west on I-90Distance 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

Hermosa: About 35 minutes, north through Rapid City to I-90Driving time and distance, off peak.
Rapid Valley: 22 min, 10.4 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
New Underwood: 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.
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 Valley: Highway 44 and Elk Vale are state and county priorities. Interior subdivision streets are county maintained and clear after the arterials do.
New Underwood: I-90 is the commute and it is state maintained. Everything off the interstate is county and city plowing on its own schedule, and this is open prairie, so wind moves snow back onto the road.
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 $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.
Rapid Valley: 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.
New Underwood: 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.
Rapid City: $300k to $450kMedian sold $349,900. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of October 2026. 790 closed sales.

Housing agediffers

Hermosa: A mix, with older in-town stock and newer building on the edges.
Rapid Valley: Mostly late twentieth century through current, with active building on the edges.
New Underwood: Older in-town stock with scattered newer building.
Rapid City: Everything from 1875 downtown streets to current new construction

New constructiondiffers

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

Acreagediffers

Hermosa: Acreage parcels are common here
Rapid Valley: Some acreage, mostly platted town lots
New Underwood: 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 Valley: Suburban lots through the core, larger parcels toward Reservoir and Radar Hill Roads.
New Underwood: Standard town lots on the grid, with ranch and acreage ground starting where the limits end.
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 Valley: Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others
New Underwood: 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 Valley: 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.
New Underwood: 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 Valley: Rapid Valley Sanitary District, treating Rapid Creek water at its own plant, with the ability to buy treated water from Rapid City at peak demand. Parcels outside the district are on private wells.
New Underwood: City of New Underwood water inside the limits, drawn from two Madison Aquifer wells. Outside the limits, parcels are on small water associations or private wells.
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 Valley: Rapid Valley Sanitary District owns and maintains the collection system, and Rapid City treats the wastewater under an intergovernmental agreement. Parcels outside the district are on private septic.
New Underwood: City sewer inside the limits. Rural parcels are on private septic permitted by Pennington County.
Rapid City: City of Rapid City sanitary sewer

Fire protectiondiffers

The responding department and the distance to it both affect an insurance quote.

Hermosa: Not recorded townwide in this guide. Confirm the responding department by address.
Rapid Valley: Rapid Valley Volunteer Fire Department, which also provides EMS and wildland response.
New Underwood: Not recorded townwide in this guide. Confirm the responding department by address.
Rapid City: Not recorded townwide in this guide. Confirm the responding department by address.

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 Valley: Unincorporated Pennington County has no city short-term rental ordinance to comply with, which is not the same as no rules. County zoning and any subdivision covenants still govern, and state licensing applies.
New Underwood: New Underwood is a highway town rather than a tourism town, and no short-term rental ordinance surfaced in the public record. Confirm with the city before you count on rental 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 Valley: 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.
New Underwood: New Underwood School District 51-3Assignment 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 Valley: Retail and everyday shopping run along Highway 44 on the southern edge, with additional grocery options a few minutes west in Rapid City.
New Underwood: BJ's Country Store at the exit 78 interchange for fuel and convenience. Full grocery shopping is Rapid City, about 18 miles west.
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 Valley: Monument Health Rapid Valley Clinic provides primary and urgent care in the community. Hospital-level care is in Rapid City.
New Underwood: No clinic in town. The Monument Health Rapid Valley Clinic on Elderberry Boulevard has walk-in urgent care seven days a week, and the hospital is in Rapid City.
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 Valley: Rapid Creek, the county parks east of town, and everything the Hills offer half an hour west.
New Underwood: The municipal pool, with a donor-funded free swim program, and open prairie 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

Hermosa: No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.
Rapid Valley: No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.
New Underwood: 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 Valley: The region's largest unincorporated community: suburban streets, high ownership, county government.
New Underwood: A prairie town with its own K through 12 campus and its own interstate exit, 18 miles from the city.
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 Valley: Rapid City schools and a five mile commute without Rapid City property taxes, plus a walk-in clinic in the neighborhood.
New Underwood: The only town this close to Ellsworth that still educates its own kids from kindergarten through graduation.
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 Valley: No city services, a sanitary district bill instead of a city utility bill, and an annexation line that only the parcel record can settle.
New Underwood: You give up the grocery store, the clinic and the hardware store, and you inherit a small municipal water system with a publicly acknowledged supply question.
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

Contact

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ComparingHermosa, Rapid Valley, New Underwood, Rapid City

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