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
- $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.
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.
- Typical price
- $400k to $600kMedian sold $475,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 199 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.
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.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
Between Piedmont, Black Hawk
The rows below are the ones where these do not read the same. Ordered as the table runs, not by importance.
- Jurisdiction
- PiedmontCity of PiedmontBlack HawkUnincorporated Meade County
- To downtown Rapid City
- PiedmontAbout 26 minutes from the Prairie Haven side, longer from the upper platsBlack HawkAbout 12 to 15 minutes
- To Ellsworth AFB
- Piedmont36 min from the Prairie Haven side, closer to 51 from the plats highest up the foothillsBlack HawkAbout 30 minutes, the same I-90 run as Summerset just north
- Winter driving
- PiedmontDriveway grade is the first thing to look at out here, then water, then where spring melt goes.Black HawkThe road out front may be maintained publicly or by the neighborhood, so ask who plows before you buy.
- Typical price
- Piedmont$375k to $575kBlack HawkUnincorporated, 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 age
- PiedmontOlder ranch homes and newer custom builds, sometimes on the same roadBlack HawkMixed street to street, sometimes neighbor to neighbor
Piedmont, 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.
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | ||
| Region | Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor | Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor |
| County | Meade County | Meade County |
| JurisdictiondiffersCity versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work. | City of Piedmont | Unincorporated Meade County |
| Corridor | I-90 | I-90 |
| To downtown Rapid Citydiffers | About 26 minutes from the Prairie Haven side, longer from the upper platsDriving time and distance, off peak. | About 12 to 15 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| To Ellsworth AFBdiffers | 36 min from the Prairie Haven side, closer to 51 from the plats highest up the foothillsDriving time and distance, off peak. | About 30 minutes, the same I-90 run as Summerset just northDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| Winter drivingdiffers | Driveway grade is the first thing to look at out here, then water, then where spring melt goes. | The road out front may be maintained publicly or by the neighborhood, so ask who plows before you buy. |
| Housing and lots | ||
| Typical pricediffers | $375k to $575kMedian sold $425,000. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 127 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 | Older ranch homes and newer custom builds, sometimes on the same road | Mixed street to street, sometimes neighbor to neighbor |
| New construction | Limited, mostly infill and small projects | Limited, mostly infill and small projects |
| Acreagediffers | Acreage is a major part of the Piedmont-area market, particularly on surrounding unincorporated Meade County ground. | Larger lots and acre properties are part of the Black Hawk market, including properties with room for shops and outbuildings. |
| Typical lotdiffers | Foothills lots that buy elevation, pine and space | 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. | Recorded covenants on some plats, none on othersRecorded covenants vary by subdivision and should be checked for the specific property. |
| Utilities and rules | ||
| Utility pattern | Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it | Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it |
| Waterdiffers | City of Piedmont municipal, supplemented by bulk water from Black Hawk Water User District | Black Hawk Water User District |
| Sewerdiffers | 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. | Black Hawk Sanitary District serves roughly 200 homes and businesses; properties outside the district are on private septic |
| Short term rentalsdiffers | A research before you count on it town. The city publishes very little and the county next door publishes less. | No municipal short term rental ordinance, because there is no municipality. State licensing still applies, and the subdivision covenant usually decides. |
| Schools | ||
| School districtdiffers | Meade School District 46-1Assignment 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 | Not recorded in this guide. Check what is open near the address. | No full-service grocery store is in Black Hawk. Most larger grocery trips go into Rapid City. |
| Healthcare | Monument Health Rapid City Hospital | Monument Health Rapid City Hospital |
| Recreationdiffers | Foothills trailheads sit within minutes of town, and the Petrified Forest of the Black Hills is seasonal. | Piedmont and the Stagebarn area are just north, with the central hills close enough for a half day. |
| Mapped subdivisions | ||
| Outlines on filediffers | 21 mapped outlines, 17 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls. | 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 | Where the prairie folds up into the foothills, with a lot of my current listing inventory on these roads. | Unincorporated foothills pockets where lot size, home age and outbuildings change from one parcel to the next. |
| What you gaindiffers | Foothills lots with elevation and pine, in Meade 46-1, with I-90 at the door and downtown Rapid City about 26 minutes south from the Prairie Haven side. | 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 | The city publishes very little, so rental plans, utilities and legal access get answered address by address, and a steep driveway is a winter decision. | 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 it sits
Region
- Piedmont
- Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
- Black Hawk
- Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
County
- Piedmont
- Meade County
- Black Hawk
- Meade County
Jurisdictiondiffers
City versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.- Piedmont
- City of Piedmont
- Black Hawk
- Unincorporated Meade County
Corridor
- Piedmont
- I-90
- Black Hawk
- I-90
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers
- Piedmont
- About 26 minutes from the Prairie Haven side, longer from the upper platsDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Black Hawk
- About 12 to 15 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers
- Piedmont
- 36 min from the Prairie Haven side, closer to 51 from the plats highest up the foothillsDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Black Hawk
- About 30 minutes, the same I-90 run as Summerset just northDriving time and distance, off peak.
Winter drivingdiffers
- Piedmont
- Driveway grade is the first thing to look at out here, then water, then where spring melt goes.
- 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
- Piedmont
- $375k to $575kMedian sold $425,000. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 127 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
- Piedmont
- Older ranch homes and newer custom builds, sometimes on the same road
- Black Hawk
- Mixed street to street, sometimes neighbor to neighbor
New construction
- Piedmont
- Limited, mostly infill and small projects
- Black Hawk
- Limited, mostly infill and small projects
Acreagediffers
- Piedmont
- Acreage is a major part of the Piedmont-area market, particularly on surrounding unincorporated Meade County ground.
- Black Hawk
- Larger lots and acre properties are part of the Black Hawk market, including properties with room for shops and outbuildings.
Typical lotdiffers
- Piedmont
- Foothills lots that buy elevation, pine and space
- 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.- Piedmont
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat.
- 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 pattern
- Piedmont
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
- Black Hawk
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
Waterdiffers
- Piedmont
- City of Piedmont municipal, supplemented by bulk water from Black Hawk Water User District
- Black Hawk
- Black Hawk Water User District
Sewerdiffers
- Piedmont
- 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.
- Black Hawk
- Black Hawk Sanitary District serves roughly 200 homes and businesses; properties outside the district are on private septic
Short term rentalsdiffers
- Piedmont
- A research before you count on it town. The city publishes very little and the county next door publishes less.
- 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
- Piedmont
- Meade School District 46-1Assignment 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
- Piedmont
- Not recorded in this guide. Check what is open near the address.
- Black Hawk
- No full-service grocery store is in Black Hawk. Most larger grocery trips go into Rapid City.
Healthcare
- Piedmont
- Monument Health Rapid City Hospital
- Black Hawk
- Monument Health Rapid City Hospital
Recreationdiffers
- Piedmont
- Foothills trailheads sit within minutes of town, and the Petrified Forest of the Black Hills is seasonal.
- 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
- Piedmont
- 21 mapped outlines, 17 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls.
- 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
- Piedmont
- Where the prairie folds up into the foothills, with a lot of my current listing inventory on these roads.
- Black Hawk
- Unincorporated foothills pockets where lot size, home age and outbuildings change from one parcel to the next.
What you gaindiffers
- Piedmont
- Foothills lots with elevation and pine, in Meade 46-1, with I-90 at the door and downtown Rapid City about 26 minutes south from the Prairie Haven side.
- 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
- Piedmont
- The city publishes very little, so rental plans, utilities and legal access get answered address by address, and a steep driveway is a winter decision.
- 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.
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.