What percentage of people rent in Rapid City, SD?

Name: Renters and owners in Rapid City, SD, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

37.1% (±1.6 points) of the occupied homes in Rapid City, SD are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 11,993 renting households against 20,375 that own their home.

In Rapid City, the share of households that rent went from 38.2% in 2015–2019 to 37.1% in 2020–2024 (−1.1 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 37.1% (±1.6 points)
Renting households: 11,993 (±597)
Median renter income: $46,373 (±$2,868)

Who rents and who owns in Rapid City

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Rapid City	Pennington County	South Dakota	United States
Renter-occupied share	37.1% (±1.6 points)	30.7% (±1.4 points)	31.4% (±0.5 points)	34.8%
Renting households	11,993 (±597)	14,245 (±672)	114,923 (±1,973)	45,017,354
Owning households	20,375 (±554)	32,125 (±696)	250,621 (±2,208)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	2.0 (±0.1)	2.1 (±0.1)	2.1 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.5 (±0.1)	2.5 (±0.1)	2.5 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$46,373 (±$2,868)	$47,358 (±$3,105)	$45,599 (±$1,257)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$89,420 (±$3,346)	$88,949 (±$2,831)	$92,702 (±$1,158)	$100,009

In Rapid City, the renter share is higher than in Pennington County (30.7%).

It is also higher than in South Dakota (31.4%).

It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).

In Pennington County, Rapid City ranks 5 of 27 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 170 of 1,152.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in Rapid City has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	38.2% (±1.6 points)	37.1% (±1.6 points)	−1.1 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$837 (±$26)	$1,109 (±$48)	+32.5%	Up after inflation
Median household income	$52,351 (±$1,335)	$70,870 (±$3,555)	+35.4%	Up after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Households that rent in places near Rapid City

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Rapid City
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Rapid City	—	37.1% (±1.6 points)	—
Rapid Valley	4.8 mi	7.7% (±4.4 points)	Lower
Green Valley	5.7 mi	21.1% (±22.3 points)	Not measurably different
Colonial Pine Hills	6.2 mi	1.3% (±2.2 points)	Lower
Ashland Heights	6.4 mi	0.0% (±7.5 points)	Lower
Box Elder	7.3 mi	51.8% (±6.3 points)	Higher
Blackhawk	8.0 mi	4.5% (±6.4 points)	Lower
Summerset	10 mi	21.3% (±6.2 points)	Lower
Piedmont	13 mi	13.1% (±7.3 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Rapid Valley, SD (7.7%), Colonial Pine Hills, SD (1.3%), Ashland Heights, SD (0.0%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Box Elder, SD (51.8%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that rent across Pennington County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
1 (tie)	Ash Township (Pennington County)	100.0% (±82.2 points)
1 (tie)	Rainy Creek Township	100.0% (±100.0 points)
3	Imlay Township	90.5% (±28.0 points)
4	Box Elder	51.8% (±6.3 points)
5	Rapid City	37.1% (±1.6 points)
6	Fairview Township (Pennington County)	35.5% (±48.8 points)
7	New Underwood	31.8% (±19.0 points)
8	Keystone	29.9% (±13.3 points)
9	Hill City	26.1% (±11.0 points)
10	Quinn	25.0% (±30.6 points)
11	Green Valley	21.1% (±22.3 points)

Showing 11 of 27 places in Pennington County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Rapid City

How many renters are there in Rapid City?

Rapid City has an estimated 11,993 (±597) renting households, 37.1% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in Rapid City?

In Rapid City, the share of households that rent went from 38.2% in 2015–2019 to 37.1% in 2020–2024 (−1.1 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in Rapid City?

A renting household in Rapid City has 2.0 people on average, against 2.5 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Rapid City?

The median renting household in Rapid City, SD has an income of $46,373 (±$2,868) a year, against $89,420 for households that own their home.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Rapid City city, South Dakota (place:52980, in state:46).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.