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
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
- $300k to $450kMedian sold $365,000. Mount Rushmore Area MLS, all residential, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 97 closed sales.
- To Ellsworth AFB
- 48 min, 38.2 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
- To downtown Rapid City
- 33 min, 28.9 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Utility pattern
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify water and sewer service for the address.
- School district
- Meade School District 46-1Assignment 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.
- Typical price
- Median sold $315,150Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 24 closed sales.
- To Ellsworth AFB
- About an hour and fifteen minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
- To downtown Rapid City
- About 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Utility pattern
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify water and sewer service for the address.
- School district
- Hot Springs School District 23-2Assignment 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 $320,000 average sold, 20 sales over 24 monthsAverage sold $319,585. Black Hills MLS, single family, 24 months through August 2026, as of August 2026. 20 closed sales.
- To Ellsworth AFB
- About 11 miles, exit 78 to the main gate at exit 67ADistance only. Drive time is not measured for this community, so time it from the parcel.
- To downtown Rapid City
- About 18 miles west on I-90Distance 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
- New Underwood School District 51-3Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
- 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 Spearfish, Hot Springs
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-90Hot SpringsCentral and Southern Hills
- County
- SpearfishLawrence CountyHot SpringsFall River County
- Corridor
- SpearfishI-90Hot SpringsUS-79 and US-18
- To downtown Rapid City
- Spearfish53 min, 47.8 miHot SpringsAbout 60 minutes
- To Ellsworth AFB
- Spearfish68 min, 57.0 miHot SpringsAbout an hour and fifteen minutes
- Winter driving
- SpearfishChinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor.Hot SpringsChinook favored foothills make winters here warmer and drier than the northern Hills, so there is less snow to move.
Spearfish, Hot Springs
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 | Fall River County |
| Corridordiffers | I-90 | US-79 and US-18 |
| To downtown Rapid Citydiffers | 53 min, 47.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak. | About 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| To Ellsworth AFBdiffers | 68 min, 57.0 miDriving time and distance, off peak. | About an hour and fifteen minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| Winter drivingdiffers | Chinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor. | Chinook favored foothills make winters here warmer and drier than the northern Hills, so there is less snow to move. |
| 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 $315,150Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 24 closed sales. |
| Housing agediffers | Older stock in the middle, edge subdivisions built 1996 to 2023 | Older homes near downtown, acreage outside it |
| 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 town core and is one of the more accessible rural-property options in the southern Black Hills. |
| 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. | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify water and sewer service for the address. |
| 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. | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the provider for the address. |
| 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. | Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the service for the address. |
| Short term rentalsdiffers | The city studied rules in 2023 and 2024 and maintains an official short term rental page. Verify the current ordinance first. | 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. |
| Schools | ||
| School districtdiffers | Spearfish School District 40-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district. | Hot Springs School District 23-2Assignment 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 Sonny's Super Foods and Lynn's Dakotamart. |
| Healthcarediffers | Monument Health Spearfish Hospital and outpatient clinics are in town. | Fall River Health Services operates a hospital, 24-hour emergency department and rural health clinic in Hot Springs. |
| Recreationdiffers | D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, Black Hills State University events, and Terry Peak and Deadwood a short drive south. | 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. |
| 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 sandstone downtown built along the Fall River, with Evans Plunge and Angostura close and water in every direction. |
| What you gaindiffers | A downtown you can walk across, Black Hills State and Spearfish Canyon out the back door, on city water and sewer. | 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. |
| 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 about an hour on US-79 and US-18, which is a lot of highway for a daily commute. |
Where it sits
Regiondiffers
- Spearfish
- Northern Hills and I-90
- Hot Springs
- Central and Southern Hills
Countydiffers
- Spearfish
- Lawrence County
- Hot Springs
- Fall River County
Corridordiffers
- Spearfish
- I-90
- Hot Springs
- US-79 and US-18
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers
- Spearfish
- 53 min, 47.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Hot Springs
- About 60 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers
- Spearfish
- 68 min, 57.0 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Hot Springs
- About an hour and fifteen minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
Winter drivingdiffers
- Spearfish
- Chinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor.
- Hot Springs
- Chinook favored foothills make winters here warmer and drier than the northern Hills, so there is less snow to move.
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.
- Hot Springs
- Median sold $315,150Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 24 closed sales.
Housing agediffers
- Spearfish
- Older stock in the middle, edge subdivisions built 1996 to 2023
- Hot Springs
- Older homes near downtown, acreage outside it
New constructiondiffers
- Spearfish
- New construction remains active on the edges of town, including areas such as Sky Ridge and other newer developments.
- Hot Springs
- 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.
- Hot Springs
- Acreage is common outside the town core and is one of the more accessible rural-property options in the southern Black Hills.
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
- Hot Springs
- 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.
- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify water and sewer service for the address.
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.
- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the provider for the address.
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.
- Hot Springs
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. Verify the service for the address.
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.
- 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.
Schools
School districtdiffers
- Spearfish
- Spearfish School District 40-2Assignment follows the official boundary for the address. Confirm with the district.
- Hot Springs
- Hot Springs School District 23-2Assignment 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.
- Hot Springs
- Full-service grocery options in town include Sonny's Super Foods and Lynn's Dakotamart.
Healthcarediffers
- Spearfish
- Monument Health Spearfish Hospital and outpatient clinics are in town.
- Hot Springs
- Fall River Health Services operates a hospital, 24-hour emergency department and rural health clinic in Hot Springs.
Recreationdiffers
- Spearfish
- D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, Black Hills State University events, and Terry Peak and Deadwood a short drive south.
- 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.
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.
- Hot Springs
- 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.
- Hot Springs
- A sandstone downtown built along the Fall River, with Evans Plunge and Angostura close and water in every direction.
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.
- 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.
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.
- Hot Springs
- Rapid City is about an hour on US-79 and US-18, which is a lot of highway for a daily commute.
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.