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 Whitewood, Rapid City
The rows below are the ones where these do not read the same. Ordered as the table runs, not by importance.
- Region
- WhitewoodNorthern Hills and I-90Rapid CityRapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
- County
- WhitewoodLawrence CountyRapid CityPennington County
- Jurisdiction
- WhitewoodNot recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.Rapid CityCity of Rapid City
- Corridor
- WhitewoodI-90 and US-85Rapid CityI-90 along the north edge
- To downtown Rapid City
- WhitewoodAbout 35 minutesRapid City5 min, 1.5 mi
- To Ellsworth AFB
- WhitewoodAbout 40 minutesRapid City24 min, 13.8 mi
Whitewood, 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 | Northern Hills and I-90Whitewood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 and US-85 | I-90 along the north edge |
| To downtown Rapid Citydiffers | About 35 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. | 5 min, 1.5 miDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| To Ellsworth AFBdiffers | About 40 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak. | 24 min, 13.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak. |
| Winter drivingdiffers | I-90 and US-85 are state maintained. The town streets and the roads out past them clear on their own schedule. | 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 | No town median is published for Whitewood, and it sits in Lawrence County, which the Mount Rushmore Area MLS covers rather than the Black Hills feed behind the figures here. Prices sit under Sturgis, Spearfish and Deadwood, each about ten minutes out. | $300k to $450kMedian sold $349,950. Black Hills MLS, single family, trailing 12 months, as of August 2026. 706 closed sales. |
| Housing agediffers | Older and modest through town, so systems matter more than finishes. | Everything from 1875 downtown streets to current new construction |
| New constructiondiffers | Limited, mostly infill and small projects | Active, with subdivisions still building |
| Acreagediffers | Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot size. | Some acreage, mostly platted town lots |
| Utilities and rules | ||
| Utility patterndiffers | Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it | City water and sewer inside the limits |
| Waterdiffers | 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. | City of Rapid City municipal |
| 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. | City of Rapid City sanitary sewer |
| Short term rentalsdiffers | No short term rental provisions in the city code, and Rally season renting is common here under state rules. | Vacation rentals inside city limits are regulated, and the ordinance is recent. Read the guide before you count on rental income. |
| Schools | ||
| School districtdiffers | Meade School District 46-1, despite being in Lawrence CountyAssignment 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 | No full-service grocery store is in Whitewood. Most larger grocery trips go to Sturgis or Spearfish. | Groceries, the hospital and the airport are all inside the city, so a supply run is minutes rather than a trip. |
| Healthcarediffers | Monument Health Sturgis HospitalNo hospital in Whitewood. Sturgis is the nearer of the two, with Spearfish next. | Monument Health's main campus is here, which is the reason a lot of the region drives in. |
| Recreationdiffers | Sturgis and Bear Butte State Park about eight miles east, Deadwood 10 to 12 miles southwest, Spearfish and Spearfish Canyon 10 to 12 miles northwest. | Main Street Square and Art Alley downtown, with Mount Rushmore southwest, Custer State Park south and the Badlands east. |
| Mapped subdivisions | ||
| Outlines on filediffers | 23 mapped outlines, 0 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 quiet main street with Sturgis, Spearfish and Deadwood each about ten minutes out and the interstate right there. | A working city with a real downtown, older streets with mature trees near the middle and new subdivisions on the edges. |
| What you gaindiffers | Small town prices with three larger towns about ten minutes out in three directions, in Meade 46-1 despite sitting in Lawrence County. | 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 | Anything past the basics is a drive to Sturgis, Spearfish or Deadwood, and there are no published MLS figures for the town on its own. | 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. |
- Northern Hills and I-90Whitewood
Where it sits
Regiondiffers
- Whitewood
- Northern Hills and I-90
- Rapid City
- Rapid City and the Ellsworth corridor
Countydiffers
- Whitewood
- Lawrence County
- Rapid City
- Pennington County
Jurisdictiondiffers
City versus county decides who provides service and who inspects the work.- Whitewood
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. The address decides whether it is city or county ground.
- Rapid City
- City of Rapid City
Corridordiffers
- Whitewood
- I-90 and US-85
- Rapid City
- I-90 along the north edge
To downtown Rapid Citydiffers
- Whitewood
- About 35 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Rapid City
- 5 min, 1.5 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
To Ellsworth AFBdiffers
- Whitewood
- About 40 minutesDriving time and distance, off peak.
- Rapid City
- 24 min, 13.8 miDriving time and distance, off peak.
Winter drivingdiffers
- Whitewood
- I-90 and US-85 are state maintained. The town streets and the roads out past them clear on their own schedule.
- 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
- Whitewood
- No town median is published for Whitewood, and it sits in Lawrence County, which the Mount Rushmore Area MLS covers rather than the Black Hills feed behind the figures here. Prices sit under Sturgis, Spearfish and Deadwood, each about ten minutes out.
- 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
- Whitewood
- Older and modest through town, so systems matter more than finishes.
- Rapid City
- Everything from 1875 downtown streets to current new construction
New constructiondiffers
- Whitewood
- Limited, mostly infill and small projects
- Rapid City
- Active, with subdivisions still building
Acreagediffers
- Whitewood
- Not recorded townwide in this guide. The recorded plat carries the lot size.
- Rapid City
- Some acreage, mostly platted town lots
Utilities and rules
Utility patterndiffers
- Whitewood
- Mixed, municipal service in town with well and septic outside it
- Rapid City
- City water and sewer inside the limits
Waterdiffers
- Whitewood
- 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.
- Rapid City
- City of Rapid City municipal
Sewerdiffers
- Whitewood
- 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.
- Rapid City
- City of Rapid City sanitary sewer
Short term rentalsdiffers
- Whitewood
- No short term rental provisions in the city code, and Rally season renting is common here under state rules.
- 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
- Whitewood
- Meade School District 46-1, despite being in Lawrence CountyAssignment 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
- Whitewood
- No full-service grocery store is in Whitewood. Most larger grocery trips go to Sturgis or Spearfish.
- Rapid City
- Groceries, the hospital and the airport are all inside the city, so a supply run is minutes rather than a trip.
Healthcarediffers
- Whitewood
- Monument Health Sturgis HospitalNo hospital in Whitewood. Sturgis is the nearer of the two, with Spearfish next.
- Rapid City
- Monument Health's main campus is here, which is the reason a lot of the region drives in.
Recreationdiffers
- Whitewood
- Sturgis and Bear Butte State Park about eight miles east, Deadwood 10 to 12 miles southwest, Spearfish and Spearfish Canyon 10 to 12 miles northwest.
- 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
- Whitewood
- 23 mapped outlines, 0 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
- Whitewood
- A quiet main street with Sturgis, Spearfish and Deadwood each about ten minutes out and the interstate right there.
- 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
- Whitewood
- Small town prices with three larger towns about ten minutes out in three directions, in Meade 46-1 despite sitting in Lawrence County.
- 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
- Whitewood
- Anything past the basics is a drive to Sturgis, Spearfish or Deadwood, and there are no published MLS figures for the town on its own.
- 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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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.