Cost of living in the Rapid City Metro Area
3 counties across SD. Population: 151,064.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Rent in the Rapid City Metro Area
Average rent across the Rapid City metro area, weighted by county population.
Source: HUD FMR + ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Income and earnings in the Rapid City Metro Area
Earnings data averaged across all 3 counties.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Home values in the Rapid City Metro Area
Average home values and annual property tax across the metro.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Energy costs in the Rapid City Metro Area
Residential electricity and natural gas estimates.
Source: EIA (state averages applied per county, weighted)
All 3 counties in the Rapid City Metro Area
The Rapid City metro area includes 3 counties. Sorted by population.
- Pennington County SD$2,696/moPop112,081 Rent$856/mo Income$70,768/yrPennington County SD 112,081 $856/mo $70,768/yr $2,696/mo
- Meade County SD$2,663/moPop30,297 Rent$835/mo Income$74,161/yrMeade County SD 30,297 $835/mo $74,161/yr $2,663/mo
- Custer County SD$2,772/moPop8,686 Rent$794/mo Income$81,958/yrCuster County SD 8,686 $794/mo $81,958/yr $2,772/mo
Compare counties in the Rapid City Metro Area
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up across the metro.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about the Rapid City Metro Area
Common questions about cost of living in the metro area.
What is the cost of living in the Rapid City Metro Area?
The estimated average cost of living in the Rapid City metro area is approximately $2,694 per month for a single person. This is a population-weighted average across the 3 counties that make up the metro area.
What is the average rent in the Rapid City Metro Area?
The average one-bedroom rent across the Rapid City metro area is $848 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data weighted by county population.
What is the cheapest county in the Rapid City Metro Area?
Meade County, SD is the most affordable county in the Rapid City metro area at approximately $2,663 per month for a single person.
What is the most expensive county in the Rapid City Metro Area?
Custer County, SD is the most expensive county in the Rapid City metro area at approximately $2,772 per month for a single person.
How many counties are in the Rapid City Metro Area?
The Rapid City metro area covers 3 counties. The five largest by population are Pennington County, Meade County, Custer County.
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About this data
All figures come from official U.S. government sources. Metro-area averages are population-weighted across constituent counties using Census ACS population estimates.