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.
0 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
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Between Spearfish, Rapid City
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-90Rapid CityRapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
- County
- SpearfishLawrence CountyRapid CityPennington County
- Jurisdiction
- SpearfishNot recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.Rapid CityCity of Rapid City
- Corridor
- SpearfishI-90Rapid CityI-90 along the north edge
- To downtown Rapid City
- Spearfish53 min, 47.8 miRapid City5 min, 1.5 mi
- To Ellsworth AFB
- Spearfish68 min, 57.0 miRapid City24 min, 13.8 mi
Spearfish, Rapid City
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 | Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor |
| Countydiffers | Lawrence County | Pennington County |
| JurisdictiondiffersCity versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work. | Not recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground. | City of Rapid City |
| Corridordiffers | I-90 | I-90 along the north edge |
| To downtown Rapid Citydiffers | 53 min, 47.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak. | 5 min, 1.5 miDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| To Ellsworth AFBdiffers | 68 min, 57.0 miDriving time and distance, off peak. | 24 min, 13.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| Winter drivingdiffers | Chinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor. | April is the snowiest month at 10.1 inches on average, and the city averages about five inches a month against fifteen up in the Hills. |
| 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. | $300k to $450kMedian sold $349,950. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 706 closed sales. |
| Housing agediffers | Older stock in the middle, edge subdivisions built 1996 to 2023 | Everything from 1875 downtown streets to current new construction |
| New constructiondiffers | New construction remains active on the edges of town, including areas such as Sky Ridge and other newer developments. | Active, with subdivisions still building |
| Acreagediffers | Acreage is available around Spearfish, primarily on surrounding Lawrence County ground rather than in the city core. | Some acreage, mostly platted town lots |
| 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. | City water and sewer inside the limits |
| 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. | City of Rapid City municipal |
| 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 of Rapid City sanitary sewer |
| Short term rentalsdiffers | The city studied rules in 2023 and 2024 and maintains an official short term rental page. Verify the current ordinance first. | Vacation rentals inside city limits are regulated, and the ordinance is recent. Read the guide 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. | Rapid City Area Schools 51-4Assignment 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. | Groceries, the hospital and the airport are all inside the city, so a supply run is minutes rather than a trip. |
| Healthcarediffers | Monument Health Spearfish Hospital and outpatient clinics are in town. | Monument Health's main campus is here, which is the reason a lot of the region drives in. |
| Recreationdiffers | D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, Black Hills State University events, and Terry Peak and Deadwood a short drive south. | Main Street Square and Art Alley downtown, with Mount Rushmore southwest, Custer State Park south and the Badlands east. |
| 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. | 13 mapped outlines, 13 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls. |
| The trade | ||
| Housing and patterndiffers | A university town with a walkable middle, growing fast enough that new construction has moved to the edges. | A working city with a real downtown, older streets with mature trees near the middle and new subdivisions on the edges. |
| What you gaindiffers | A downtown you can walk across, Black Hills State and Spearfish Canyon out the back door, on city water and sewer. | Everything the region has sits in one place: Monument Health, the airport, the widest run of housing stock, and 24 minutes to the Ellsworth gate. |
| 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. | You buy into the region's deepest demand, and the recent vacation rental ordinance limits what you can do with a house you do not live in. |
Where it sits
Regiondiffers
- Spearfish
- Northern Hills and I-90
- Rapid City
- Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
Countydiffers
- Spearfish
- Lawrence County
- Rapid City
- Pennington County
Jurisdictiondiffers
City versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.- Spearfish
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.
- Rapid City
- City of Rapid City
Corridordiffers
- Spearfish
- I-90
- Rapid City
- I-90 along the north edge
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers
- Spearfish
- 53 min, 47.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Rapid City
- 5 min, 1.5 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers
- Spearfish
- 68 min, 57.0 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Rapid City
- 24 min, 13.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
Winter drivingdiffers
- Spearfish
- Chinook winds off the hills are a genuine feature of winter in this corridor.
- Rapid City
- April is the snowiest month at 10.1 inches on average, and the city averages about five inches a month against fifteen up in the Hills.
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.
- Rapid City
- $300k to $450kMedian sold $349,950. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 706 closed sales.
Housing agediffers
- Spearfish
- Older stock in the middle, edge subdivisions built 1996 to 2023
- Rapid City
- Everything from 1875 downtown streets to current new construction
New constructiondiffers
- Spearfish
- New construction remains active on the edges of town, including areas such as Sky Ridge and other newer developments.
- Rapid City
- Active, with subdivisions still building
Acreagediffers
- Spearfish
- Acreage is available around Spearfish, primarily on surrounding Lawrence County ground rather than in the city core.
- Rapid City
- Some acreage, mostly platted town lots
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
- Rapid City
- 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.
- Rapid City
- City water and sewer inside the limits
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.
- Rapid City
- City of Rapid City municipal
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.
- Rapid City
- City of Rapid City sanitary sewer
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.
- Rapid City
- Vacation rentals inside city limits are regulated, and the ordinance is recent. Read the guide 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.
- Rapid City
- Rapid City Area Schools 51-4Assignment 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.
- Rapid City
- Groceries, the hospital and the airport are all inside the city, so a supply run is minutes rather than a trip.
Healthcarediffers
- Spearfish
- Monument Health Spearfish Hospital and outpatient clinics are in town.
- Rapid City
- Monument Health's main campus is here, which is the reason a lot of the region drives in.
Recreationdiffers
- Spearfish
- D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, Black Hills State University events, and Terry Peak and Deadwood a short drive south.
- Rapid City
- Main Street Square and Art Alley downtown, with Mount Rushmore southwest, Custer State Park south and the Badlands east.
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.
- Rapid City
- 13 mapped outlines, 13 with a full guideReference outlines from county and city GIS, not surveys. The recorded plat controls.
The trade
Housing and patterndiffers
- Spearfish
- A university town with a walkable middle, growing fast enough that new construction has moved to the edges.
- Rapid City
- A working city with a real downtown, older streets with mature trees near the middle and new subdivisions on the edges.
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.
- Rapid City
- Everything the region has sits in one place: Monument Health, the airport, the widest run of housing stock, and 24 minutes to the Ellsworth gate.
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.
- Rapid City
- You buy into the region's deepest demand, and the recent vacation rental ordinance limits what you can do with a house you do not live in.
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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