Rapid City cost of living
Prices in the Rapid City, SD metro area run at 89.2 against a national average of 100, ranking it #306 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 72.6.
What drives the number
Prices in Rapid City run at 89.2 where the national average is 100, so about 10.8 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #306 of 387 metro areas. Against South Dakota as a whole it is 0.6 points more expensive, which is the usual direction: cities cost more than the states around them.
Housing is unusually cheap relative to everything else here. Rents sit at 72.6 against goods at 95.5 and other services at 79.1, so the overall figure of 89.2 understates how affordable the housing itself is. Services, which are priced by local wages, are what hold the overall number up. Goods at 95.5 are themselves 4.5 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
Low prices only help if pay does not fall by more. Dividing the local median wage by 89.2 is how to check, and the wage pages carry that comparison.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Rapid City is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 2,870 | $32,570 | $36,513 | $34,580 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,640 | $29,220 | $32,758 | $30,480 |
| Registered Nurses | 2,600 | $69,510 | $77,926 | $93,600 |
| Cashiers | 2,250 | $29,320 | $32,870 | $31,190 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,680 | $35,900 | $40,247 | $37,090 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 1,670 | $45,090 | $50,549 | $49,210 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,600 | $32,450 | $36,379 | $35,930 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,320 | $29,140 | $32,668 | $33,760 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 89.2.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | 90.6 | 77.6 | #278 |
| Sioux City | 86.5 | 57.8 | #359 |
Rapid City: common questions
Is Rapid City expensive?
Prices are 10.8% below the national average, a parity of 89.2 where the country is 100. It ranks #306 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against South Dakota as a whole it is 0.6 points more expensive.
What salary do you need in Rapid City?
The median worker there earns $44,260, which buys what $49,619 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 72.6 against goods at 95.5. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.