United States › South Dakota › Rapid City CITY
Rapid City South Dakota · 80,589 residents (2025 est.) · 55.1 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 77,946 people, Rapid City is a city in South Dakota. 3% of residents were born outside the United States. 18,339 more people live here than in 2000. Getting to work takes 17 minutes on average. Density works out to 1,415 people per square mile. People stay put here: 82% were in the same home a year ago.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.1
US median: 38.9
Average education
37% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 92%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 59,607 in 2000
80,589 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,415 / sq mi
+21%since 2009
from 1,173 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 34.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
52K 59K 66K 73K 80K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Rapid City Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $70,870
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,978 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,445 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 22.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 12.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.469 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 4.4%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.5%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.6%
Education & health services 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
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$299,400
+92%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $85,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,109
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $496 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 59.3% in 2000
37.1% rent
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.40 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 43.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.3 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 83.2%(49,621)
Hispanic / Latino 2.8%(1,650)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 76.3%(59,460)
Hispanic / Latino 6.1%(4,745)
from 41 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 37 more ancestry groups with data from 26.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 87.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 8.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 69.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 79.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 34.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 15.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 13.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 12.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 78.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 91.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 81.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 38.6%(12,520)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 48.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 20.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 17.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 6.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 66.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 37.1% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 28.6%(1,979)
Gulf War (1990s) 29.7%(2,061)
Share of the 6,928 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Compare Rapid City to nearby cities Frequently asked
How many people live in Rapid City, South Dakota? Rapid City, South Dakota has about 77,946 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Rapid City, South Dakota? The typical household in Rapid City, South Dakota earns about $70,870 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Rapid City, South Dakota expensive? In Rapid City, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $299,400, and the typical rent is about $1,109 a month.
How educated are people in Rapid City, South Dakota? About 37.0% of adults age 25 and over in Rapid City, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Rapid City, South Dakota? About 12.5% of people in Rapid City, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Rapid City, South Dakota grown since 1990? Yes, Rapid City, South Dakota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 23,423 residents, a change of about 43 percent over that period.
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