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Rapid Valley, SD

Census-designated place in Pennington County, South Dakota.

Population

6,975

Land area

6.4sq mi

People per sq mi

1,088

ZIP codes

0

Rapid Valley and its ZIP codes

Full map

Rapid Valley at a glance

  • Rapid Valley is about 91 times as dense as South Dakota as a whole.
  • It is the 16th most populous of 439 cities and towns in South Dakota.
  • Households here earn a median of $83,208 a year, 11% more than the South Dakota figure of $75,081.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $255,500 and median rent is $1,174 a month.

Local data for Rapid Valley, SD

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Rapid Valley, SD, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$83,208

Poverty rate

4.5%

Median home value

$255,500

Median rent

$1,174/mo

Homeownership

92.3%

Bachelor's or higher

19.8%

Median age

43.2

Average commute

19.8 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (1,942), Irish Americans (768), Norwegian Americans (732).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Pennington County. PPP loans are for Rapid Valley.

Details

Unemployment rate

1.7%

Sep 2026, -0.1 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$59,768

62,445 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$78,464

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$1B

FY 2026, $9,179 per person

Pennington County economyFederal spending

How people get to work

Rapid Valley, SD, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone81.5%
  • Carpooled4.3%
  • Public transit0.0%
  • Walked1.9%
  • Bicycle0.0%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other3.1%
  • Worked from home9.2%

Average one-way commute: 19.8 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Rapid Valley, SD, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Low

Top: wildfire

Storm events since 1996

3,274

Countywide, mostly hail

Flood insurance policies

253

0.6% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

86° / 13°F

17.4 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone

Health statistics

Share of adults in Rapid Valley, SD, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

33.9%

U.S. 33.3% +0.6 pts

Diabetes

10.4%

U.S. 12.1% -1.7 pts

Smoking

15.8%

U.S. 12.8% +3.0 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

8.4%

U.S. 11.1% -2.7 pts

Cities near Rapid Valley

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
Green ValleyCensus-designated place2.1 mi3.8
Ashland HeightsCensus-designated place4.2 mi2.9
Box ElderCity4.9 mi14.8
Rapid CityCity5.2 mi56
CaputaCensus-designated place8.5 mi0.3
Colonial Pine HillsCensus-designated place11 mi15.3
BlackhawkCensus-designated place12 mi4.7
SummersetCity14 mi2.7
Wonderland HomesCensus-designated place14 mi0.2
New UnderwoodCity14 mi1.5
HermosaTown16 mi0.9
Johnson SidingCensus-designated place16 mi3.7
PiedmontCity16 mi1.6
KeystoneTown19 mi3
Hill CityCity24 mi1.3
Blucksberg MountainCensus-designated place26 mi0.7

Frequently asked questions

What county is Rapid Valley, SD in?
Rapid Valley is in Pennington County, South Dakota.
What is the population of Rapid Valley, SD?
About 6,975 people live in Rapid Valley, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near Rapid Valley?
Nearby places include Green Valley (2.1 mi), Ashland Heights (4.2 mi), Box Elder (4.9 mi), Rapid City (5.2 mi), Caputa (8.5 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023

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