Rapid City is a city located in Pennington County South Dakota. Rapid City has a 2024 population of 80,896. Rapid City is currently growing at a rate of 1.88% annually and its population has increased by 7.96% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 74,928 in 2020.
The average household income in Rapid City is $88,029 with a poverty rate of 13.42%. The median age in Rapid City is 38.6 years: 37.1 years for males, and 40 years for females.
Rapid City is a city located in the state of South Dakota. Its location at Rapid Creek is what led to its name.
Rapid City has experienced steady growth throughout its history, although it did see a drop in its population at the time of the 1900 census. By 1920, the city’s population had accumulated over 5,000 people, and this number nearly doubled at the time of the 1930 census. By 1950, the city had over 25,000 residents. By 1990, the population exceeded 54,000. Recent estimates indicate that this growth will only continue, as the current count is up 9% from the last census taken in 2010.
Settlers originally came to what is now Rapid City in the 1870s after gold was discovered. In 1876, Rapid City was founded under the name “Hay Camp” and was promoted by miners as the “Gateway to the Black Hills.” Later that year, the site of the city was laid out around Rapid Creek. Six blocks were designated for a business center, which was used for selling supplies to miners and pioneers. By the 20th century, the city was becoming known as a regional trade center.
The city began to grow following World War I with the construction of highways and local efforts that lured in tourists. Mount Rushmore, a popular tourist destination to this day, was started in 1927 and was later completed in 1941. Throughout this period, the city was keeping the economy afloat through tourism through the Great Depression. However, the tourism industry declined following World War II, although the city still managed to get by due to war-related growth.
The Rapid City Army Air Base (later changed to the Ellsworth Air Force Base) resulted in significant population growth during the 1940s. By the end of the decade, city officials made a plan to expand the city with new schools, a civic center, and paved roads, leading to a construction boom during the 1950s. During the 1960s, growth slowed, but development picked up again in the 1970s after the Black Hills Flood killed hundreds and caused $100 million in damage. This led to significant development including the construction of a park, new homes and businesses, a civic center and Central High School.
In the 1980s, the Sioux people filed a lawsuit against the federal government stating that the Black Hills were stolen. The Supreme Court found in favor of the tribe and offered a monetary settlement, but the Sioux continued to push for the return of land including Rapid City. The dispute is still ongoing.
The city also continued to grow in the 1980s as tourism increased, primarily due to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, one of the most famous rallies in the world. Today, tourism remains a driver of the economy, although the city has also ventured into other economic sectors including technology, scientific research, and medicine.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Rapid City was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
---|---|---|
White | 59,341 | 78.46% |
Two or more races | 7,004 | 9.26% |
Native American | 6,440 | 8.51% |
Black or African American | 1,220 | 1.61% |
Asian | 936 | 1.24% |
Other race | 661 | 0.87% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 30 | 0.04% |
White
Two or more races
Native American
Black or African American
Asian
Other race
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 31,453 | 2.29 | 61.7 | 38.3 |
Non Family | 14,145 | 1.27 | 46 | 54 |
Married | 12,901 | 3 | 83.9 | 16.1 |
Female | 3,141 | 3.5 | 42.5 | 57.5 |
Male | 1,266 | 3.51 | 58.8 | 41.2 |
3.03
Average Family Size
2.29
Average Household Size
61.7%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
9th to 12th Grade | 1,865 | 3.59% |
Associates Degree | 5,323 | 10.25% |
Bachelors Degree | 11,658 | 22.44% |
Graduate Degree | 6,787 | 13.07% |
High School Graduate | 13,991 | 26.94% |
Less Than 9th Grade | 990 | 1.91% |
Some College | 11,328 | 21.81% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 42,898 | 41,077 | 16,279 |
2+ Races | 3,211 | 3,057 | 1,026 |
Native American | 3,207 | 2,624 | 338 |
Hispanic | 2,136 | 1,920 | 706 |
Asian | 720 | 695 | 395 |
Black | 708 | 650 | 57 |
Other Race | 429 | 331 | 120 |
Islander | 18 | 18 | 6 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 54.86%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Degree | $51,196 | $59,231 | $47,104 |
Graduate Degree | $81,049 | $103,563 | $66,307 |
High School Graduate | $32,492 | $34,427 | $29,187 |
Less Than 9th Grade | $26,548 | $28,519 | $20,060 |
Overall | $41,306 | $44,765 | $37,742 |
Some College | $38,304 | $43,434 | $34,589 |
$41,306
Average Earnings
$44,765
Average Male
$37,742
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
95.43% of Rapid City residents speak only English, while 4.57% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Other languages, which is spoken by 1.52% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
White | 55,956 | 4,692 | 8.39% |
Native | 5,717 | 3,156 | 55.2% |
Multiple | 6,791 | 1,238 | 18.23% |
Hispanic | 4,433 | 1,189 | 26.82% |
Black | 1,124 | 350 | 31.14% |
Asian | 908 | 90 | 9.91% |
Other | 661 | 89 | 13.46% |
13.42%
Overall Poverty Rate
11.49%
Male Poverty Rate
15.36%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Rapid City is Native, with 55.2% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Rapid City is White, with 8.39% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.08%. Among those working part-time, it was 16.63%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 22.91%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 29.48% |
High School | 17.74% |
Some College | 11.2% |
Bachelors or Greater | 3.09% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Female Unemployed | 49.73% |
Male Unemployed | 28.87% |
Male Employed | 5.96% |
Female Employed | 5.66% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
---|---|---|
Families | $83,972 | $113,189 |
Households | $62,784 | $88,029 |
Married Families | $98,587 | $131,660 |
Non Families | $38,127 | $54,953 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
44.0%
Overall Marriage Rate
44.6%
Male Marriage Rate
43.4%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
6,916
Number of Veterans
6,241
Male Veterans
675
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
---|---|
Vietnam | 2,642 |
First Gulf War | 1,934 |
Second Gulf War | 1,718 |
Korea | 281 |
World War II | 132 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
---|---|
65 to 74 | 2,015 |
35 to 54 | 1,620 |
75+ | 1,615 |
55 to 64 | 1,137 |
18 to 34 | 529 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 6,046 | 12.59% |
2+ Races | 444 | 10.51% |
Hispanic | 346 | 13.77% |
Native American | 237 | 5.92% |
Black | 127 | 15.76% |
Asian | 40 | 5.04% |
Other Race | 22 | 4.4% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
6.1%
Veteran Poverty Rate
28.73%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
64.2%
Labor Force Participation
60.9%
Employment Rate
3.4%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
56.6%
Born in Rapid City
97.69%
Native Born
2.31%
Foreign Born
0.93%
Non Citizen
1.37%
Naturalized
97.69% of Rapid City residents were born in the United States, with 56.6% having been born in South Dakota. 0.93% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
---|---|---|---|
2029 | 88,356 | 1,492 | 1.72% |
2028 | 86,864 | 1,492 | 1.75% |
2027 | 85,372 | 1,492 | 1.78% |
2026 | 83,880 | 1,492 | 1.81% |
2025 | 82,388 | 1,492 | 1.84% |
2024 | 80,896 | 1,492 | 1.88% |
2023 | 79,404 | 688 | 0.87% |
2022 | 78,716 | 1,973 | 2.57% |
2021 | 76,743 | 1,815 | 2.42% |
2020 | 74,928 | -2,986 | -3.83% |
2019 | 77,914 | 1,551 | 2.03% |
2018 | 76,363 | 1,018 | 1.35% |
2017 | 75,345 | 1,159 | 1.56% |
2016 | 74,186 | 752 | 1.02% |
2015 | 73,434 | 392 | 0.54% |
2014 | 73,042 | 1,274 | 1.78% |
2013 | 71,768 | 1,011 | 1.43% |
2012 | 70,757 | 1,167 | 1.68% |
2011 | 69,590 | 452 | 0.65% |
2010 | 69,138 | 0 | 0% |
2000 | 59,607 | 5,084 | 9.32% |
1990 | 54,523 | 8,031 | 17.27% |
1980 | 46,492 | 2,656 | 6.06% |
1970 | 43,836 | 1,437 | 3.39% |
1960 | 42,399 | 17,089 | 67.52% |
1950 | 25,310 | 11,466 | 82.82% |
1940 | 13,844 | 3,440 | 33.06% |
1930 | 10,404 | 4,627 | 80.09% |
1920 | 5,777 | 1,923 | 49.9% |
1910 | 3,854 | 2,554 | 196.46% |
1900 | 1,300 | -87,056 | -98.53% |