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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Rapid City

South Dakota · 54,523 residents · 55.1 sq mi
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The short version

With 54,523 people, Rapid City is a city in South Dakota. The typical home is worth $56,500. 57% of homes are owner-occupied. Getting to work takes 16 minutes on average. About 23% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Households take in $25,740 at the median, 15% less than the US figure.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 30.9
US median: 33.0
More educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 13%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
54,523
−9%vs 2000
vs 59,607 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
30.9
−11%vs 2000
vs 34.8 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
55.1 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
52K59K66K73K80K19902000201020202024Rapid City
202478K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 58.5%(4,636)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 98.1%(4,413)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.2%(3,901)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.8%(3,687)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 248.5%(4,651)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3418.1%(9,846)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4414.8%(8,090)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 548.7%(4,747)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 647.8%(4,233)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 746.4%(3,496)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844%(2,162)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.2%(661)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$25,740
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $35,978 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$12,469
−36%vs 2000
vs $19,445 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
13.6%
+0.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 12.7% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$56,500
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $85,500 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$396
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $496 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
57.3%
−2.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 59.3% in 2000
42.7% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic83.2%(49,621)
Black0.9%(550)
Hispanic / Latino2.8%(1,650)
Asian1%(586)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic88.2%(48,091)
Black1.2%(668)
Hispanic / Latino2.2%(1,195)
Asian1%(521)
Other9.6%(5,243)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican4%(3,129)
Puerto Rican0.4%(327)
Colombian0.4%(310)
Honduran0.2%(160)
Spaniard0.2%(150)
Peruvian0.2%(130)
Nicaraguan0.1%(113)
Cuban0.1%(63)
Panamanian0.1%(50)
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Filipino0.7%(529)
Chinese0.2%(127)
Japanese0.2%(125)
Korean0.1%(102)
Bangladeshi0.1%(71)
Thai0%(31)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(51)
Samoan0.1%(39)
Ancestry
German27.8%(21,684)
Irish13.6%(10,581)
English11.5%(8,942)
Norwegian8.3%(6,456)
American2.9%(2,295)
Scottish2.9%(2,275)
French2.8%(2,204)
Swedish2.7%(2,137)
Italian2.6%(2,045)
Polish2.4%(1,871)
Dutch1.9%(1,492)
Danish1.4%(1,093)
+ 37 more ancestry groups with data
Czech1.3%(982)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(851)
Welsh0.9%(731)
Russian0.8%(623)
Greek0.5%(376)
Swiss0.4%(344)
Arab0.4%(289)
Finnish0.4%(277)
British0.4%(275)
Canadian0.3%(267)
Hungarian0.3%(255)
Austrian0.3%(221)
Lithuanian0.3%(198)
West Indian0.2%(162)
Lebanese0.2%(137)
Haitian0.2%(128)
Egyptian0.1%(109)
Portuguese0.1%(75)
Syrian0.1%(73)
Latvian0.1%(69)
Ukrainian0.1%(57)
Iranian0%(34)
Ethiopian0%(26)
Jamaican0%(26)
Romanian0%(25)
Iraqi0%(21)
Croatian0%(21)
Slovak0%(21)
Kenyan0%(21)
Slovene0%(17)
Somali0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
23.4%
−3.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 26.7% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
84.9%
−2.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 87.3% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
7.0%
−1.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 8.8% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
16.1 min
+59%vs 2000
vs 10.1 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married38.6%(12,520)
Married45.9%(14,867)
Widowed3.3%(1,078)
Divorced12.1%(3,931)
Women 15+
Never married29%(9,178)
Married44.2%(14,011)
Widowed9.7%(3,079)
Divorced17.1%(5,420)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
9.8%
−3.1 ptssince 2013
from 12.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
53.3%
+4.5 ptssince 2020
from 48.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.4%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 16.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
22.2%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 20.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
15.5%
−2.2 ptssince 2020
from 17.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
5.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 6.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
70.6%
+3.9 ptssince 2020
from 66.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
36.2%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)29.7%(2,061)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era37.4%(2,592)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3%(210)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.1%(5)
US avg: 1%

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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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RAPID CITY VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Rapid City, South Dakota?

Rapid City, South Dakota has about 54,523 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Rapid City, South Dakota?

The typical household in Rapid City, South Dakota earns about $25,740 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 $56,500, and the typical rent is about $396 a month.

How educated are people in Rapid City, South Dakota?

About 23.4% 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 13.6% of people in Rapid City, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →