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.
1 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
- $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.
Between Lead and Deadwood, Custer
The rows below are the ones where these do not read the same. Ordered as the table runs, not by importance.
- Region
- Lead and DeadwoodNorthern Hills and I-90CusterCentral and Southern Hills
- County
- Lead and DeadwoodLawrence CountyCusterCuster County
- Corridor
- Lead and DeadwoodUS-385 and US-14ACusterUS-16
- To downtown Rapid City
- Lead and DeadwoodAbout 50 minutesCusterAbout 50 to 60 minutes
- To Ellsworth AFB
- Lead and DeadwoodAbout 55 minutesCusterAbout an hour and ten minutes
- Winter driving
- Lead and DeadwoodLead averages 183.9 inches of snow a year, so plowing, driveway grade and which way it faces are part of the budget.CusterWinter roads are a genuine planning factor at this distance, and on acreage you need to know who maintains yours.
Lead and Deadwood, Custer
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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | ||
| Regiondiffers | Northern Hills and I-90 | Central and Southern Hills |
| Countydiffers | Lawrence County | Custer County |
| Corridordiffers | US-385 and US-14A | US-16 |
| To downtown Rapid Citydiffers | About 50 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. | About 50 to 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| To Ellsworth AFBdiffers | About 55 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. | About an hour and ten minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| Winter drivingdiffers | Lead averages 183.9 inches of snow a year, so plowing, driveway grade and which way it faces are part of the budget. | Winter roads are a genuine planning factor at this distance, and on acreage you need to know who maintains yours. |
| Housing and lots | ||
| Typical pricediffers | $320k to $500kMedian sold $385,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 117 closed sales. | Median sold $627,000Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 7 closed sales, small sample. |
| Housing agediffers | Historic stock, plus Powder House Pass as the newest product up here | Mixed ages. Older homes near the core, newer construction toward the edges. |
| New constructiondiffers | Limited, mostly infill and small projects | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Check current permits with the city or county. |
| Acreagediffers | Mountain acreage exists outside the denser town centers, with access, well, septic and winter-maintenance considerations varying by property. | Acreage is common outside the city core, with wells and septic systems typical on many rural properties. |
| Covenants and HOAdiffersCovenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel. | Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat. |
| Utilities and rules | ||
| Utility patterndiffers | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify water and sewer service for the address. | Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it |
| Waterdiffers | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the provider for the address. | Municipal water inside the limits, a private well or a district system outside them.Read off the townwide utility pattern in the guide. The service address controls, so confirm the provider before you write an offer. |
| Sewerdiffers | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the service for the address. | City sewer inside the limits, private septic outside them.Read off the townwide utility pattern in the guide. The service address controls, so confirm the provider before you write an offer. |
| Short term rentalsdiffers | Three jurisdictions within a few miles give three different answers. This is where guessing gets expensive. | Grandfathered permits are non transferable and expire when the property sells, and the rules flip at the city line. |
| Schools | ||
| School districtdiffers | Lead-Deadwood School District 40-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district. | Custer School District 16-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district. |
| Daily errands | ||
| Groceriesdiffers | Not recorded in this guide. Check what is open near the address. | Lynn's Dakotamart is a full-service grocery store in town. |
| Healthcarediffers | Monument Health Lead-Deadwood Hospital and clinic provide hospital-level and outpatient care in the area. | Monument Health Custer Hospital and clinic are in town. |
| Recreationdiffers | Terry Peak, a 7,100 foot summit with 1,100 feet of vertical and 30 trails, plus Deadwood gaming and the historic district. | Custer State Park at the door, including Sylvan Lake, the Needles Highway, the wildlife loop and the September buffalo roundup. |
| Mapped subdivisions | ||
| Outlines on filediffers | 55 mapped outlines, 0 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls. | No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet. |
| The trade | ||
| Housing and patterndiffers | High elevation historic streets, with Terry Peak, the Mickelson Trail and the Powder House Pass covenants and Community Improvement District just south of Lead. | A county seat at a park entrance, with a replacement Monument Health hospital and acreage starting just past the city limits. |
| What you gaindiffers | Elevation, Terry Peak measured in minutes, the Mickelson Trail and historic streets you cannot build a copy of. | You are inside the Hills with real acreage, Custer State Park at the door, and a new hospital in a town of about 1,900. |
| What you give updiffers | Lead averages 183.9 inches of snow a year, so snow removal and vehicle choice are line items, and three jurisdictions inside a few miles answer rental questions differently. | Rapid City is 50 to 60 minutes and Ellsworth over an hour, grandfathered rental permits expire when a property sells, and outside the city limits there are no county building codes. |
Where it sits
Regiondiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- Northern Hills and I-90
- Custer
- Central and Southern Hills
Countydiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- Lawrence County
- Custer
- Custer County
Corridordiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- US-385 and US-14A
- Custer
- US-16
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- About 50 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Custer
- About 50 to 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- About 55 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Custer
- About an hour and ten minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
Winter drivingdiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- Lead averages 183.9 inches of snow a year, so plowing, driveway grade and which way it faces are part of the budget.
- Custer
- Winter roads are a genuine planning factor at this distance, and on acreage you need to know who maintains yours.
Housing and lots
Typical pricediffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- $320k to $500kMedian sold $385,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 117 closed sales.
- Custer
- Median sold $627,000Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 7 closed sales, small sample.
Housing agediffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- Historic stock, plus Powder House Pass as the newest product up here
- Custer
- Mixed ages. Older homes near the core, newer construction toward the edges.
New constructiondiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- Limited, mostly infill and small projects
- Custer
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Check current permits with the city or county.
Acreagediffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- Mountain acreage exists outside the denser town centers, with access, well, septic and winter-maintenance considerations varying by property.
- Custer
- Acreage is common outside the city core, with wells and septic systems typical on many rural properties.
Covenants and HOAdiffers
Covenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel.- Lead and Deadwood
- Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others
- Custer
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat.
Utilities and rules
Utility patterndiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify water and sewer service for the address.
- Custer
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
Waterdiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the provider for the address.
- Custer
- Municipal water inside the limits, a private well or a district system outside them.Read off the townwide utility pattern in the guide. The service address controls, so confirm the provider before you write an offer.
Sewerdiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the service for the address.
- Custer
- City sewer inside the limits, private septic outside them.Read off the townwide utility pattern in the guide. The service address controls, so confirm the provider before you write an offer.
Short term rentalsdiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- Three jurisdictions within a few miles give three different answers. This is where guessing gets expensive.
- Custer
- Grandfathered permits are non transferable and expire when the property sells, and the rules flip at the city line.
Schools
School districtdiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- Lead-Deadwood School District 40-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
- Custer
- Custer School District 16-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Daily errands
Groceriesdiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- Not recorded in this guide. Check what is open near the address.
- Custer
- Lynn's Dakotamart is a full-service grocery store in town.
Healthcarediffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- Monument Health Lead-Deadwood Hospital and clinic provide hospital-level and outpatient care in the area.
- Custer
- Monument Health Custer Hospital and clinic are in town.
Recreationdiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- Terry Peak, a 7,100 foot summit with 1,100 feet of vertical and 30 trails, plus Deadwood gaming and the historic district.
- Custer
- Custer State Park at the door, including Sylvan Lake, the Needles Highway, the wildlife loop and the September buffalo roundup.
Mapped subdivisions
Outlines on filediffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- 55 mapped outlines, 0 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls.
- Custer
- No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.
The trade
Housing and patterndiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- High elevation historic streets, with Terry Peak, the Mickelson Trail and the Powder House Pass covenants and Community Improvement District just south of Lead.
- Custer
- A county seat at a park entrance, with a replacement Monument Health hospital and acreage starting just past the city limits.
What you gaindiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- Elevation, Terry Peak measured in minutes, the Mickelson Trail and historic streets you cannot build a copy of.
- Custer
- You are inside the Hills with real acreage, Custer State Park at the door, and a new hospital in a town of about 1,900.
What you give updiffers
- Lead and Deadwood
- Lead averages 183.9 inches of snow a year, so snow removal and vehicle choice are line items, and three jurisdictions inside a few miles answer rental questions differently.
- Custer
- Rapid City is 50 to 60 minutes and Ellsworth over an hour, grandfathered rental permits expire when a property sells, and outside the city limits there are no county building codes.
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.
Considering a home here?
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.