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.
4 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
- No published median exists for the community. Closed sales on the specific street are the only figure worth quoting here.
- To Ellsworth AFB
- About 15 minutes northDriving time and distance, off peak.
- To downtown Rapid City
- About 6 miles northwestDistance 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
- Split between Douglas 51-1 and Rapid City Area 51-4. Address specific.Assignment 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.
Between Spearfish, Belle Fourche
The rows below are the ones where these do not read the same. Ordered as the table runs, not by importance.
- County
- SpearfishLawrence CountyBelle FourcheButte County
- Corridor
- SpearfishI-90Belle FourcheUS-85 and SD-34
- To downtown Rapid City
- Spearfish53 min, 47.8 miBelle FourcheAbout 55 to 60 minutes
- To Ellsworth AFB
- Spearfish68 min, 57.0 miBelle FourcheAbout an hour
- Winter driving
- SpearfishChinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor.Belle FourcheOut on the acreage the question is who maintains the road in winter, and it is worth asking in writing.
- Typical price
- Spearfish$400k to $600kBelle Fourche$275k to $375k
Spearfish, Belle Fourche
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 | Northern Hills and I-90Belle Fourche | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | ||
| Region | Northern Hills and I-90 | Northern Hills and I-90 |
| Countydiffers | Lawrence County | Butte County |
| Corridordiffers | I-90 | US-85 and SD-34 |
| To downtown Rapid Citydiffers | 53 min, 47.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak. | About 55 to 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| To Ellsworth AFBdiffers | 68 min, 57.0 miDriving time and distance, off peak. | About an hourDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| Winter drivingdiffers | Chinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor. | Out on the acreage the question is who maintains the road in winter, and it is worth asking in writing. |
| Housing and lots | ||
| Typical pricediffers | $400k to $600kMedian sold $475,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 199 closed sales. | $275k to $375kMedian sold $300,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 113 closed sales. |
| Housing agediffers | Older stock in the middle, edge subdivisions built 1996 to 2023 | Older homes in town, newer construction on the edges |
| New constructiondiffers | New construction remains active on the edges of town, including areas such as Sky Ridge and other newer developments. | Limited, mostly infill and small projects |
| Acreagediffers | Acreage is available around Spearfish, primarily on surrounding Lawrence County ground rather than in the city core. | Larger lots and acreage become more common around the edges of Belle Fourche and in nearby rural subdivisions. |
| Typical lotdiffers | Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions. | Generous in town, acreage out past it |
| 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 | 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. | Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it |
| Waterdiffers | City water inside the Spearfish limits. Acreage outside the limits runs on a private well or a rural water district.Read off the townwide utility pattern in the guide. The service address controls, so confirm the provider before you write an offer. | 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 | City sewer inside the Spearfish limits, private septic on acreage outside them.Read off the townwide utility pattern in the guide. The service address controls, so confirm the provider before you write an offer. | 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 | The city studied rules in 2023 and 2024 and maintains an official short term rental page. Verify the current ordinance first. | General zoning and state rules do the work in Belle Fourche. Confirm the lodging use category with city hall for the address before you count on rental income. |
| Schools | ||
| School districtdiffers | Spearfish School District 40-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district. | Belle Fourche School District 9-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district. |
| Daily errands | ||
| Groceriesdiffers | Full-service grocery options in town include Walmart, Safeway and Lueders Food Centers. | Full-service grocery options in town include Lueders Food Centers and Lynn's Dakotamart. |
| Healthcarediffers | Monument Health Spearfish Hospital and outpatient clinics are in town. | Monument Health has a clinic in Belle Fourche. Hospital-level care is available in Spearfish. |
| Recreationdiffers | D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, Black Hills State University events, and Terry Peak and Deadwood a short drive south. | The Geographic Center of the Nation monument, the Tri-State Museum, and the Black Hills Roundup rodeo every Fourth of July week since 1918. |
| Mapped subdivisions | ||
| Outlines on filediffers | 25 mapped outlines, 13 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 | A university town with a walkable middle, growing fast enough that new construction has moved to the edges. | A ranching hub with a working main street, mature trees and a rodeo the whole town turns out for. |
| What you gaindiffers | A downtown you can walk across, Black Hills State and Spearfish Canyon out the back door, on city water and sewer. | A $300,000 median across 113 trailing twelve month sales, under Spearfish, Sturgis and Deadwood, with acreage out past town. |
| What you give updiffers | The highest median sold price of the region's higher volume markets at $475,000 across 199 sales, and Rapid City is 53 minutes on the interstate with the Ellsworth gate 68. | Rapid City is 55 to 60 minutes and Ellsworth about an hour, so this is a commute you pick on purpose. |
- Northern Hills and I-90Belle Fourche
Where it sits
Region
- Spearfish
- Northern Hills and I-90
- Belle Fourche
- Northern Hills and I-90
Countydiffers
- Spearfish
- Lawrence County
- Belle Fourche
- Butte County
Corridordiffers
- Spearfish
- I-90
- Belle Fourche
- US-85 and SD-34
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers
- Spearfish
- 53 min, 47.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Belle Fourche
- About 55 to 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers
- Spearfish
- 68 min, 57.0 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Belle Fourche
- About an hourDriving time and distance, off peak.
Winter drivingdiffers
- Spearfish
- Chinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor.
- Belle Fourche
- Out on the acreage the question is who maintains the road in winter, and it is worth asking in writing.
Housing and lots
Typical pricediffers
- Spearfish
- $400k to $600kMedian sold $475,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 199 closed sales.
- Belle Fourche
- $275k to $375kMedian sold $300,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 113 closed sales.
Housing agediffers
- Spearfish
- Older stock in the middle, edge subdivisions built 1996 to 2023
- Belle Fourche
- Older homes in town, newer construction on the edges
New constructiondiffers
- Spearfish
- New construction remains active on the edges of town, including areas such as Sky Ridge and other newer developments.
- Belle Fourche
- Limited, mostly infill and small projects
Acreagediffers
- Spearfish
- Acreage is available around Spearfish, primarily on surrounding Lawrence County ground rather than in the city core.
- Belle Fourche
- Larger lots and acreage become more common around the edges of Belle Fourche and in nearby rural subdivisions.
Typical lotdiffers
- Spearfish
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot dimensions.
- Belle Fourche
- Generous in town, acreage out past it
Covenants and HOAdiffers
Covenants are recorded per plat. The title commitment lists what binds the parcel.- Spearfish
- Recorded covenants on some plats, none on others
- Belle Fourche
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Read the recorded documents for the plat.
Utilities and rules
Utility patterndiffers
- Spearfish
- 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.
- Belle Fourche
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
Waterdiffers
- Spearfish
- City water inside the Spearfish limits. Acreage outside the limits runs on a private well or a rural water district.Read off the townwide utility pattern in the guide. The service address controls, so confirm the provider before you write an offer.
- Belle Fourche
- 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
- Spearfish
- City sewer inside the Spearfish limits, private septic on acreage outside them.Read off the townwide utility pattern in the guide. The service address controls, so confirm the provider before you write an offer.
- Belle Fourche
- 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
- Spearfish
- The city studied rules in 2023 and 2024 and maintains an official short term rental page. Verify the current ordinance first.
- Belle Fourche
- General zoning and state rules do the work in Belle Fourche. Confirm the lodging use category with city hall for the address before you count on rental income.
Schools
School districtdiffers
- Spearfish
- Spearfish School District 40-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
- Belle Fourche
- Belle Fourche School District 9-1Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
Daily errands
Groceriesdiffers
- Spearfish
- Full-service grocery options in town include Walmart, Safeway and Lueders Food Centers.
- Belle Fourche
- Full-service grocery options in town include Lueders Food Centers and Lynn's Dakotamart.
Healthcarediffers
- Spearfish
- Monument Health Spearfish Hospital and outpatient clinics are in town.
- Belle Fourche
- Monument Health has a clinic in Belle Fourche. Hospital-level care is available in Spearfish.
Recreationdiffers
- Spearfish
- D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, Black Hills State University events, and Terry Peak and Deadwood a short drive south.
- Belle Fourche
- The Geographic Center of the Nation monument, the Tri-State Museum, and the Black Hills Roundup rodeo every Fourth of July week since 1918.
Mapped subdivisions
Outlines on filediffers
- Spearfish
- 25 mapped outlines, 13 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls.
- Belle Fourche
- No recorded subdivision outlines drawn for this community yet.
The trade
Housing and patterndiffers
- Spearfish
- A university town with a walkable middle, growing fast enough that new construction has moved to the edges.
- Belle Fourche
- A ranching hub with a working main street, mature trees and a rodeo the whole town turns out for.
What you gaindiffers
- Spearfish
- A downtown you can walk across, Black Hills State and Spearfish Canyon out the back door, on city water and sewer.
- Belle Fourche
- A $300,000 median across 113 trailing twelve month sales, under Spearfish, Sturgis and Deadwood, with acreage out past town.
What you give updiffers
- Spearfish
- The highest median sold price of the region's higher volume markets at $475,000 across 199 sales, and Rapid City is 53 minutes on the interstate with the Ellsworth gate 68.
- Belle Fourche
- Rapid City is 55 to 60 minutes and Ellsworth about an hour, so this is a commute you pick on purpose.
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
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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.