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.
3 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
- $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, Custer
The rows below are the ones where these do not read the same. Ordered as the table runs, not by importance.
- Region
- SpearfishNorthern Hills and I-90CusterCentral and Southern Hills
- County
- SpearfishLawrence CountyCusterCuster County
- Corridor
- SpearfishI-90CusterUS-16
- To downtown Rapid City
- Spearfish53 min, 47.8 miCusterAbout 50 to 60 minutes
- To Ellsworth AFB
- Spearfish68 min, 57.0 miCusterAbout an hour and ten minutes
- Winter driving
- SpearfishChinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor.CusterWinter roads are a genuine planning factor at this distance, and on acreage you need to know who maintains yours.
Spearfish, 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 | I-90 | US-16 |
| To downtown Rapid Citydiffers | 53 min, 47.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak. | About 50 to 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| To Ellsworth AFBdiffers | 68 min, 57.0 miDriving time and distance, off peak. | About an hour and ten minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| Winter drivingdiffers | Chinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor. | 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 | $400k to $600kMedian sold $475,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 199 closed sales. | Median sold $627,000Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 7 closed sales, small sample. |
| Housing agediffers | Older stock in the middle, edge subdivisions built 1996 to 2023 | Mixed ages. Older homes near the core, newer construction toward the edges. |
| New constructiondiffers | New construction remains active on the edges of town, including areas such as Sky Ridge and other newer developments. | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Check current permits with the city or county. |
| Acreagediffers | Acreage is available around Spearfish, primarily on surrounding Lawrence County ground rather than in the city core. | 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 | 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. | Grandfathered permits are non transferable and expire when the property sells, and the rules flip at the city line. |
| Schools | ||
| School districtdiffers | Spearfish School District 40-2Assignment 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 | Full-service grocery options in town include Walmart, Safeway and Lueders Food Centers. | Lynn's Dakotamart is a full-service grocery store in town. |
| Healthcarediffers | Monument Health Spearfish Hospital and outpatient clinics are in town. | Monument Health Custer Hospital and clinic are in town. |
| Recreationdiffers | D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, Black Hills State University events, and Terry Peak and Deadwood a short drive south. | 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 | 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 county seat at a park entrance, with a replacement Monument Health hospital and acreage starting just past the city limits. |
| What you gaindiffers | A downtown you can walk across, Black Hills State and Spearfish Canyon out the back door, on city water and sewer. | 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 | 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 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
- Spearfish
- Northern Hills and I-90
- Custer
- Central and Southern Hills
Countydiffers
- Spearfish
- Lawrence County
- Custer
- Custer County
Corridordiffers
- Spearfish
- I-90
- Custer
- US-16
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers
- Spearfish
- 53 min, 47.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Custer
- About 50 to 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers
- Spearfish
- 68 min, 57.0 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Custer
- About an hour and ten minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
Winter drivingdiffers
- Spearfish
- Chinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor.
- 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
- Spearfish
- $400k to $600kMedian sold $475,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 199 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
- Spearfish
- Older stock in the middle, edge subdivisions built 1996 to 2023
- Custer
- Mixed ages. Older homes near the core, newer construction toward the edges.
New constructiondiffers
- Spearfish
- New construction remains active on the edges of town, including areas such as Sky Ridge and other newer developments.
- Custer
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Check current permits with the city or county.
Acreagediffers
- Spearfish
- Acreage is available around Spearfish, primarily on surrounding Lawrence County ground rather than in the city core.
- 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.- Spearfish
- 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
- 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.
- Custer
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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
- Spearfish
- The city studied rules in 2023 and 2024 and maintains an official short term rental page. Verify the current ordinance first.
- Custer
- Grandfathered permits are non transferable and expire when the property sells, and the rules flip at the city line.
Schools
School districtdiffers
- Spearfish
- Spearfish School District 40-2Assignment 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
- Spearfish
- Full-service grocery options in town include Walmart, Safeway and Lueders Food Centers.
- Custer
- Lynn's Dakotamart is a full-service grocery store in town.
Healthcarediffers
- Spearfish
- Monument Health Spearfish Hospital and outpatient clinics are in town.
- Custer
- Monument Health Custer Hospital and clinic are in town.
Recreationdiffers
- Spearfish
- D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, Black Hills State University events, and Terry Peak and Deadwood a short drive south.
- 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
- Spearfish
- 25 mapped outlines, 13 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
- Spearfish
- A university town with a walkable middle, growing fast enough that new construction has moved to the edges.
- 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
- Spearfish
- A downtown you can walk across, Black Hills State and Spearfish Canyon out the back door, on city water and sewer.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
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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.