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.
5 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
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Between Hot Springs, Edgemont
The rows below are the ones where these do not read the same. Ordered as the table runs, not by importance.
- Jurisdiction
- Hot SpringsNot recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.EdgemontIncorporated city of Edgemont, with Fall River County outside the limits.
- Corridor
- Hot SpringsUS-79 and US-18EdgemontUS 18 and SD 471
- To downtown Rapid City
- Hot SpringsAbout 60 minutesEdgemontAbout 100 miles northeast
- To Ellsworth AFB
- Hot SpringsAbout an hour and fifteen minutesEdgemontAbout 110 miles
- Winter driving
- Hot SpringsChinook favored foothills make winters here warmer and drier than the northern Hills, so there is less snow to move.EdgemontCold semi-arid country with a recorded low of 40 below. US 18 is the lifeline and it is a long way to anywhere in a storm.
- Typical price
- Hot SpringsMedian sold $315,150EdgemontAbout $155,000 average sold, 13 sales over 24 months
Hot Springs, Edgemont
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 | Central and Southern HillsEdgemont | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | ||
| Region | Central and Southern Hills | Central and Southern Hills |
| County | Fall River County | Fall River 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 city of Edgemont, with Fall River County outside the limits. |
| Corridordiffers | US-79 and US-18 | US 18 and SD 471 |
| To downtown Rapid Citydiffers | About 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. | About 100 miles northeastDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel. |
| To Ellsworth AFBdiffers | About an hour and fifteen minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. | About 110 milesDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel. |
| Winter drivingdiffers | Chinook favored foothills make winters here warmer and drier than the northern Hills, so there is less snow to move. | Cold semi-arid country with a recorded low of 40 below. US 18 is the lifeline and it is a long way to anywhere in a storm. |
| Housing and lots | ||
| Typical pricediffers | Median sold $315,150Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 24 closed sales. | 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. |
| Housing agediffers | Older homes near downtown, acreage outside it | An 1890 railroad town, so mostly older stock, with about a quarter of units vacant at the 2020 count. |
| New constructiondiffers | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Check current permits with the city or county. | None underway |
| Acreagediffers | Acreage is common outside the town core and is one of the more accessible rural-property options in the southern Black Hills. | Acreage parcels are common here |
| Typical lotdiffers | Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions. | Town lots inside the limits, ranch scale outside them. |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Waterdiffers | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the provider for the address. | City of Edgemont municipal water. Rural parcels are on private wells. |
| Sewerdiffers | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the service for the address. | City sewer inside the limits, with private septic on rural parcels. |
| Short term rentalsdiffers | No city ordinance I can locate as of August 2026, and unincorporated Fall River County does not administer zoning districts, so the county building, septic and access permits are the controls that apply. | Edgemont is not a tourism town. Short-term rental demand here is work crews, hunting season and Rally traffic passing through, not visitors staying to see something. |
| Schools | ||
| School districtdiffers | Hot Springs School District 23-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district. | Edgemont School District 23-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district. |
| Daily errands | ||
| Groceriesdiffers | Full-service grocery options in town include Sonny's Super Foods and Lynn's Dakotamart. | Small-town grocery and convenience in Edgemont, with Hot Springs about 35 miles east for more. |
| Healthcarediffers | Fall River Health Services operates a hospital, 24-hour emergency department and rural health clinic in Hot Springs. | No hospital in town. Fall River Health Services in Hot Springs is a 25 bed critical access hospital with a 24 hour emergency department. |
| Recreationdiffers | Evans Plunge, the city run mineral springs pool, the Mammoth Site dig in the middle of town, Wind Cave National Park about 11 miles out and Angostura Reservoir about 10 miles for lake days. | The hundred-year-old city park, the campground, the Elk Mountains and open country in every direction. |
| The trade | ||
| Housing and patterndiffers | A sandstone downtown built along the Fall River, with Evans Plunge and Angostura close and water in every direction. | A working BNSF crew-change town founded in 1890, at the far southern edge of the Hills below the Elk Mountains. |
| What you gaindiffers | Chinook favored foothills that keep winters warmer and drier than the northern Hills, a sandstone downtown on the Fall River, and acreage minutes out of town at a $315,150 median. | More town per dollar than anywhere else in the region, with its own school district and city utilities. |
| What you give updiffers | Rapid City is about an hour on US-79 and US-18, which is a lot of highway for a daily commute. | A hundred miles from Rapid City, 35 from a hospital, with two unresolved questions hanging over the local economy. |
- Central and Southern HillsEdgemont
Where it sits
Region
- Hot Springs
- Central and Southern Hills
- Edgemont
- Central and Southern Hills
County
- Hot Springs
- Fall River County
- Edgemont
- Fall River County
Jurisdictiondiffers
City versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.
- Edgemont
- Incorporated city of Edgemont, with Fall River County outside the limits.
Corridordiffers
- Hot Springs
- US-79 and US-18
- Edgemont
- US 18 and SD 471
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers
- Hot Springs
- About 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Edgemont
- About 100 miles northeastDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers
- Hot Springs
- About an hour and fifteen minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Edgemont
- About 110 milesDistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
Winter drivingdiffers
- Hot Springs
- Chinook favored foothills make winters here warmer and drier than the northern Hills, so there is less snow to move.
- Edgemont
- Cold semi-arid country with a recorded low of 40 below. US 18 is the lifeline and it is a long way to anywhere in a storm.
Housing and lots
Typical pricediffers
- Hot Springs
- Median sold $315,150Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 24 closed sales.
- Edgemont
- 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.
Housing agediffers
- Hot Springs
- Older homes near downtown, acreage outside it
- Edgemont
- An 1890 railroad town, so mostly older stock, with about a quarter of units vacant at the 2020 count.
New constructiondiffers
- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Check current permits with the city or county.
- Edgemont
- None underway
Acreagediffers
- Hot Springs
- Acreage is common outside the town core and is one of the more accessible rural-property options in the southern Black Hills.
- Edgemont
- Acreage parcels are common here
Typical lotdiffers
- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions.
- Edgemont
- Town lots inside the limits, ranch scale outside them.
Covenants and HOAdiffers
Covenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel.- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat.
- Edgemont
- Few plats here carry recorded covenants
Utilities and rules
Utility patterndiffers
- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify water and sewer service for the address.
- Edgemont
- City water and sewer inside the limits
Waterdiffers
- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the provider for the address.
- Edgemont
- City of Edgemont municipal water. Rural parcels are on private wells.
Sewerdiffers
- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the service for the address.
- Edgemont
- City sewer inside the limits, with private septic on rural parcels.
Short term rentalsdiffers
- Hot Springs
- No city ordinance I can locate as of August 2026, and unincorporated Fall River County does not administer zoning districts, so the county building, septic and access permits are the controls that apply.
- Edgemont
- Edgemont is not a tourism town. Short-term rental demand here is work crews, hunting season and Rally traffic passing through, not visitors staying to see something.
Schools
School districtdiffers
- Hot Springs
- Hot Springs School District 23-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
- Edgemont
- Edgemont School District 23-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Daily errands
Groceriesdiffers
- Hot Springs
- Full-service grocery options in town include Sonny's Super Foods and Lynn's Dakotamart.
- Edgemont
- Small-town grocery and convenience in Edgemont, with Hot Springs about 35 miles east for more.
Healthcarediffers
- Hot Springs
- Fall River Health Services operates a hospital, 24-hour emergency department and rural health clinic in Hot Springs.
- Edgemont
- No hospital in town. Fall River Health Services in Hot Springs is a 25 bed critical access hospital with a 24 hour emergency department.
Recreationdiffers
- Hot Springs
- Evans Plunge, the city run mineral springs pool, the Mammoth Site dig in the middle of town, Wind Cave National Park about 11 miles out and Angostura Reservoir about 10 miles for lake days.
- Edgemont
- The hundred-year-old city park, the campground, the Elk Mountains and open country in every direction.
The trade
Housing and patterndiffers
- Hot Springs
- A sandstone downtown built along the Fall River, with Evans Plunge and Angostura close and water in every direction.
- Edgemont
- A working BNSF crew-change town founded in 1890, at the far southern edge of the Hills below the Elk Mountains.
What you gaindiffers
- Hot Springs
- Chinook favored foothills that keep winters warmer and drier than the northern Hills, a sandstone downtown on the Fall River, and acreage minutes out of town at a $315,150 median.
- Edgemont
- More town per dollar than anywhere else in the region, with its own school district and city utilities.
What you give updiffers
- Hot Springs
- Rapid City is about an hour on US-79 and US-18, which is a lot of highway for a daily commute.
- Edgemont
- A hundred miles from Rapid City, 35 from a hospital, with two unresolved questions hanging over the local economy.
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
Want to talk through the tradeoffs?
Two towns can look identical in a table and feel nothing alike on a Tuesday night in February. Call or text and tell me which rows above are the ones you cannot live with, and we can work the list down from there.
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Send the address and we can talk it through. The details that change from one property to the next are jurisdiction, water and sewer, the school the district assigns, covenants, road maintenance and the rest of what never shows up on a listing.