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Rapid City, SD


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Rapid City, South Dakota

Introduction to Rapid City, South Dakota

Rapid City, South Dakota, in Pennington county, is 313 miles N of Denver, Colorado. The city has a population of 59,607.

Rapid City History

Rapid City was founded in 1876 and was known as Hay Camp. John Brennan and Samuel Scott laid out the site of the present-day city in February 1876. It was later renamed Rapid City after the Rapid Creek that flows through the area. The first railroad arrived in the area in the late 1880s. The city was incorporated in 1882. It became a major regional trade center by 1900.

Rapid City and nearby Attractions

  • Baken Park Shopping Center
  • Minnilusa Pioneer Museum
  • Journey Museum
  • Badlands National Park
  • Sioux Indian Museum
  • Reptile Gardens

Things To Do In Rapid City

Rapid City offers a wide variety of opportunities for recreation, in the form of the Badlands National Park, Reptile Gardens, Rushmore Waterslide Park, Dinosaur Park and the Ranch Amusement Park. The Minnilusa Pioneer Museum Collection, the Journey Museum, the Sioux Indian Museum and the Museum of Geology may prove interesting to those interested in the area’s history. One can shop at the North Rapid Shopping Center, the Baken Park Shopping Center, the Robbinsdale Shopping Center, the South Town Mall, the Haines Station Shopping Center or Rushmore Mall. Local celebrations include the Black Hills Bluegrass Festival, the Dakota Polka Festival, the West Boulevard Summer Festival, Canyon Lake Festival, the Hills Alive Music Festival and the Black Hills Square and Round Dance Festival.

Rapid City Transportation

Rapid City Regional Airport is a few minutes drive away.

Rapid City Higher Education

Western Dakota Technical Institute, the National American University and the Black Hills Indian Bible College-Assemblies of God are the local institutions of higher education.

High Points

Rapid City strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in South Dakota):

CategoryTrophy
Racial Diversity
(vs. State)
Top 5%trophyRapid City Racial Diversity
Short Commute Times
(vs. Peers)
Top 7%Rapid City Short Commute Times
College Educated Adults
(vs. State)
Top 8%Rapid City College Educated Adults
Public Transportation Use
(vs. State)
Top 10%Rapid City Public Transportation Use
Well-Paid Single Women
(vs. State)
Top 13%Rapid City Well-Paid Single Women
Well-Paid Single Men
(vs. State)
Top 15%Rapid City Well-Paid Single Men
Affordability of Rents
(vs. Peers)
Top 19%Rapid City Affordability of Rents

Comparative Profile of Rapid City, SD

Comparing Rapid City to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in South Dakota (State):

Ratings range from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).


The People

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Male Share of the Population78
Senior Citizens62
Children Under 5 Years Old67
Age of the Population53
Well-Paid Single Men59
Well-Paid Single Women49
Female Share of the Population43
Racial Diversity110

Families

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Portion of People Married43
Average Household Size37

Wealth

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
College Educated Adults610
People in Middle Class or Better57
People Above Poverty43
Median Family Income48

Commute & Sprawl

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Short Commute Times106
Working at Home53
Walking and Biking to Work55
Public Transportation Use310

Housing

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Affordability of Rents91
People Living Alone73
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals79
Seasonal and Vacation Housing74
Housing Recently Built69
Affordability of Property Taxes61

Crime

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Low Violent Crime51
Low Property Crime41

Detailed pages on related topics: Rapid City collegesRapid City travelRapid City mortgage and property.

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Additional Details

Rapid City CareersRapid City Careers
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Rapid City CollegesRapid City Colleges
Rapid City colleges and trade schools.
Rapid City Hotels & TravelRapid City Hotels & Travel
Rapid City hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation.
Rapid City MortgageRapid City Mortgage
Rapid City property, mortgage, and real estate.

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