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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10 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, 3 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 $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.
Compare Guide
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.
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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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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 $300,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 113 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.
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Lead and Deadwood
Typical price
$320k to $500kMedian sold $385,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 117 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.
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Sturgis
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.
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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 $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.
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Hot Springs
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.
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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 $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.
Compare Guide
Wall
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.
Selected Guide

What changes

Between Hill City, Wall, Black Hawk

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

Region: Hill CityCentral and Southern HillsWallPrairie and BadlandsBlack HawkRapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
County: Hill CityPennington CountyWallPennington CountyBlack HawkMeade County
Jurisdiction: Hill CityNot recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.WallIncorporated town of Wall, with Pennington County outside the limits.Black HawkUnincorporated Meade County
Corridor: Hill CityUS-16WallI-90 exits 109 and 110Black HawkI-90
To downtown Rapid City: Hill CityAbout 30 to 35 minutes on US-16WallAbout 50 miles west on I-90Black HawkAbout 12 to 15 minutes
To Ellsworth AFB: Hill CityAbout 45 minutesWallAbout 43 miles westBlack HawkAbout 30 minutes, the same I-90 run as Summerset just north

Side by side

Hill City, Wall, Black Hawk

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 HillsHill City	Prairie and BadlandsWall	Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorBlack Hawk
Where it sits
Regiondiffers	Central and Southern Hills	Prairie and Badlands	Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
Countydiffers	Pennington County	Pennington County	Meade County
JurisdictiondiffersCity versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.	Not recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.	Incorporated town of Wall, with Pennington County outside the limits.	Unincorporated Meade County
Corridordiffers	US-16	I-90 exits 109 and 110	I-90
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers	About 30 to 35 minutes on US-16Driving time and distance, off peak.	About 50 miles west on I-90Distance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.	About 12 to 15 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers	About 45 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.	About 43 miles westDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.	About 30 minutes, the same I-90 run as Summerset just northDriving time and distance, off peak.
Winter drivingdiffers	US-16 is state maintained. The forest roads off it climb, and elevation adds snow to whatever falls in town.	I-90 is the lifeline and it is state maintained, but this is open prairie and I-90 does close in a ground blizzard. Plan for that a few times a winter.	The road out front may be maintained publicly or by the neighborhood, so ask who plows before you buy.
Housing and lots
Typical pricediffers	Median sold $519,000Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 13 closed sales.	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.	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.
Housing agediffers	Mixed ages. Older homes near the core, newer construction toward the edges.	Older stock through town, with a municipal demolition incentive program in place for blighted property.	Mixed street to street, sometimes neighbor to neighbor
New constructiondiffers	Limited infill and small-scale new construction occur around Hill City rather than large production neighborhoods.	Limited, mostly infill and small projects	Limited, mostly infill and small projects
Acreagediffers	Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot size.	Acreage parcels are common here	Larger lots and acre properties are part of the Black Hawk market, including properties with room for shops and outbuildings.
Typical lotdiffers	Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions.	Platted town lots, and then it jumps straight to ranch scale.	Bigger lots, with shop space and outbuildings normal
Covenants and HOAdiffersCovenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel.	Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat.	Few plats here carry recorded covenants	Recorded covenants on some plats, none on othersRecorded covenants vary by subdivision and should be checked for the specific property.
Utilities and rules
Utility patterndiffers	Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify water and sewer service for the address.	City water and sewer inside the limits	Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
Waterdiffers	Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the provider for the address.	Town of Wall municipal water inside the limits. Rural parcels are on private wells.	Black Hawk Water User District
Sewerdiffers	Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the service for the address.	Town sewer inside the limits, with private septic on rural parcels.	Black Hawk Sanitary District serves roughly 200 homes and businesses; properties outside the district are on private septic
Short term rentalsdiffers	Existing short term rental rights in residential zones do not transfer when a property sells. That is the trap.	This is genuine seasonal tourism territory at a national park gate. Confirm any town requirement, and note that Wall Drug houses many of its own seasonal workers, which removes demand from the local rental market.	No municipal short term rental ordinance, because there is no municipality. State licensing still applies, and the subdivision covenant usually decides.
Schools
School districtdiffers	Hill City School District 51-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.	Wall School District 51-5Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.	Rapid City Area Schools 51-4 for most addressesAssignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Daily errands
Groceriesdiffers	Krull's Market is a full-service grocery store in town.	The Wall Food Center on South Boulevard West.	No full-service grocery store is in Black Hawk. Most larger grocery trips go into Rapid City.
Healthcarediffers	Monument Health has a clinic in Hill City. Hospital-level care is in Rapid City, roughly 30 to 35 minutes away in clear conditions.	The Monument Health Wall Clinic on 7th Avenue is in town. The nearest hospital is Monument Health Rapid City, roughly 50 miles west.	Monument Health Rapid City Hospital
Recreationdiffers	The 1880 Train departs downtown, Crazy Horse Memorial is about 12 miles away, and Stone Faces Winery and Naked Winery are close.	Badlands National Park about seven miles south, Buffalo Gap National Grassland all around, the National Grasslands Visitor Center on Main Street and the Wall rodeo arena.	Piedmont and the Stagebarn area are just north, with the central hills close enough for a half day.
Mapped subdivisions
Outlines on filediffers	No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.	No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.	12 mapped outlines, 5 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls.
The trade
Housing and patterndiffers	A small mountain main street that triples every summer and empties out by October, with the 1880 Train leaving from downtown.	A complete small prairie town with its own school, clinic and grocery, at the northern gate to the Badlands.	Unincorporated foothills pockets where lot size, home age and outbuildings change from one parcel to the next.
What you gaindiffers	Main Street in the middle of the central hills, the Mickelson Trail through town, Sylvan Lake and Crazy Horse a short drive, and 30 to 35 minutes to Rapid City on US-16.	Everything a town needs in one place, 50 miles from the city, at prairie prices.	Bigger lots, room for a shop, and about 12 to 15 minutes to downtown Rapid City, without a city hall setting the local rules.
What you give updiffers	Rental rights do not survive a sale, and only 13 homes closed here in twelve months, so pricing rests on a small sample.	Fifty miles to a hospital and to real shopping, and an economy that runs on a three month season.	There is no city hall, so the subdivision covenant decides what you can build or rent, and water, sewer and road maintenance all change parcel to parcel.

Central and Southern HillsHill City
Prairie and BadlandsWall
Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridorBlack Hawk

Where it sits

Regiondiffers

Hill City: Central and Southern Hills
Wall: Prairie and Badlands
Black Hawk: Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor

Countydiffers

Hill City: Pennington County
Wall: Pennington County
Black Hawk: Meade County

Jurisdictiondiffers

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

Hill City: Not recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.
Wall: Incorporated town of Wall, with Pennington County outside the limits.
Black Hawk: Unincorporated Meade County

Corridordiffers

Hill City: US-16
Wall: I-90 exits 109 and 110
Black Hawk: I-90

To downtown Rapid Citydiffers

Hill City: About 30 to 35 minutes on US-16Driving time and distance, off peak.
Wall: About 50 miles west on I-90Distance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
Black Hawk: About 12 to 15 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.

To Ellsworth AFBdiffers

Hill City: About 45 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
Wall: About 43 miles westDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
Black Hawk: About 30 minutes, the same I-90 run as Summerset just northDriving time and distance, off peak.

Winter drivingdiffers

Hill City: US-16 is state maintained. The forest roads off it climb, and elevation adds snow to whatever falls in town.
Wall: I-90 is the lifeline and it is state maintained, but this is open prairie and I-90 does close in a ground blizzard. Plan for that a few times a winter.
Black Hawk: The road out front may be maintained publicly or by the neighborhood, so ask who plows before you buy.

Housing and lots

Typical pricediffers

Hill City: Median sold $519,000Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 13 closed sales.
Wall: 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.
Black Hawk: 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.

Housing agediffers

Hill City: Mixed ages. Older homes near the core, newer construction toward the edges.
Wall: Older stock through town, with a municipal demolition incentive program in place for blighted property.
Black Hawk: Mixed street to street, sometimes neighbor to neighbor

New constructiondiffers

Hill City: Limited infill and small-scale new construction occur around Hill City rather than large production neighborhoods.
Wall: Limited, mostly infill and small projects
Black Hawk: Limited, mostly infill and small projects

Acreagediffers

Hill City: Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot size.
Wall: Acreage parcels are common here
Black Hawk: Larger lots and acre properties are part of the Black Hawk market, including properties with room for shops and outbuildings.

Typical lotdiffers

Hill City: Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions.
Wall: Platted town lots, and then it jumps straight to ranch scale.
Black Hawk: Bigger lots, with shop space and outbuildings normal

Covenants and HOAdiffers

Covenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel.

Hill City: Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat.
Wall: Few plats here carry recorded covenants
Black Hawk: Recorded covenants on some plats, none on othersRecorded covenants vary by subdivision and should be checked for the specific property.

Utilities and rules

Utility patterndiffers

Hill City: Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify water and sewer service for the address.
Wall: City water and sewer inside the limits
Black Hawk: Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it

Waterdiffers

Hill City: Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the provider for the address.
Wall: Town of Wall municipal water inside the limits. Rural parcels are on private wells.
Black Hawk: Black Hawk Water User District

Sewerdiffers

Hill City: Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the service for the address.
Wall: Town sewer inside the limits, with private septic on rural parcels.
Black Hawk: Black Hawk Sanitary District serves roughly 200 homes and businesses; properties outside the district are on private septic

Short term rentalsdiffers

Hill City: Existing short term rental rights in residential zones do not transfer when a property sells. That is the trap.
Wall: This is genuine seasonal tourism territory at a national park gate. Confirm any town requirement, and note that Wall Drug houses many of its own seasonal workers, which removes demand from the local rental market.
Black Hawk: No municipal short term rental ordinance, because there is no municipality. State licensing still applies, and the subdivision covenant usually decides.

Schools

School districtdiffers

Hill City: Hill City School District 51-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Wall: Wall School District 51-5Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Black Hawk: Rapid City Area Schools 51-4 for most addressesAssignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.

Daily errands

Groceriesdiffers

Hill City: Krull's Market is a full-service grocery store in town.
Wall: The Wall Food Center on South Boulevard West.
Black Hawk: No full-service grocery store is in Black Hawk. Most larger grocery trips go into Rapid City.

Healthcarediffers

Hill City: Monument Health has a clinic in Hill City. Hospital-level care is in Rapid City, roughly 30 to 35 minutes away in clear conditions.
Wall: The Monument Health Wall Clinic on 7th Avenue is in town. The nearest hospital is Monument Health Rapid City, roughly 50 miles west.
Black Hawk: Monument Health Rapid City Hospital

Recreationdiffers

Hill City: The 1880 Train departs downtown, Crazy Horse Memorial is about 12 miles away, and Stone Faces Winery and Naked Winery are close.
Wall: Badlands National Park about seven miles south, Buffalo Gap National Grassland all around, the National Grasslands Visitor Center on Main Street and the Wall rodeo arena.
Black Hawk: Piedmont and the Stagebarn area are just north, with the central hills close enough for a half day.

Mapped subdivisions

Outlines on filediffers

Hill City: No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.
Wall: No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.
Black Hawk: 12 mapped outlines, 5 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls.

The trade

Housing and patterndiffers

Hill City: A small mountain main street that triples every summer and empties out by October, with the 1880 Train leaving from downtown.
Wall: A complete small prairie town with its own school, clinic and grocery, at the northern gate to the Badlands.
Black Hawk: Unincorporated foothills pockets where lot size, home age and outbuildings change from one parcel to the next.

What you gaindiffers

Hill City: Main Street in the middle of the central hills, the Mickelson Trail through town, Sylvan Lake and Crazy Horse a short drive, and 30 to 35 minutes to Rapid City on US-16.
Wall: Everything a town needs in one place, 50 miles from the city, at prairie prices.
Black Hawk: Bigger lots, room for a shop, and about 12 to 15 minutes to downtown Rapid City, without a city hall setting the local rules.

What you give updiffers

Hill City: Rental rights do not survive a sale, and only 13 homes closed here in twelve months, so pricing rests on a small sample.
Wall: Fifty miles to a hospital and to real shopping, and an economy that runs on a three month season.
Black Hawk: There is no city hall, so the subdivision covenant decides what you can build or rent, and water, sewer and road maintenance all change parcel to parcel.

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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ComparingHill City, Wall, Black Hawk

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