HousingPermits

Metro area in South Dakota · part of the Rapid City-Spearfish, SD combined area

Rapid City, SD

The Rapid City metro area authorized 958 new housing units in 2025. Relative to population, the rate was 10.5 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the second-highest rate of the 34 metro areas based in the West North Central states. Permits fell 38% between 2024 and 2025, the third-steepest decline among the 34 metro areas based in the West North Central states.

06001,2001,8002,4002004: 1,518 units (1,131 single-family, 146 in 2–4 unit, 241 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,290 units (1,056 single-family, 181 in 2–4 unit, 53 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,062 units (789 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 232 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,029 units (693 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 302 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 575 units (557 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 12 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 496 units (468 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 676 units (472 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 190 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 464 units (362 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 60 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 756 units (562 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 168 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,072 units (643 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 425 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 671 units (524 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 134 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 798 units (572 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 226 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 971 units (540 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 427 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 779 units (560 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 177 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 834 units (532 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 258 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 870 units (617 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 189 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,537 units (826 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 679 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,802 units (924 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 838 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,933 units (904 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 997 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,878 units (813 single-family, 88 in 2–4 unit, 977 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,553 units (786 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 735 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 958 units (860 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 80 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252022 high · 1,9332011 low · 46408001,6002,4002004: 1,518 units (1,131 single-family, 146 in 2–4 unit, 241 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,290 units (1,056 single-family, 181 in 2–4 unit, 53 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,062 units (789 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 232 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,029 units (693 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 302 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 575 units (557 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 12 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 496 units (468 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 6 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 676 units (472 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 190 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 464 units (362 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 60 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 756 units (562 single-family, 26 in 2–4 unit, 168 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,072 units (643 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 425 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 671 units (524 single-family, 13 in 2–4 unit, 134 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 798 units (572 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 226 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 971 units (540 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 427 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 779 units (560 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 177 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 834 units (532 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 258 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 870 units (617 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 189 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,537 units (826 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 679 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,802 units (924 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 838 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,933 units (904 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 997 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,878 units (813 single-family, 88 in 2–4 unit, 977 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,553 units (786 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 735 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 958 units (860 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 80 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252022 high · 1,933

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 14 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Rapid City, with 4,187 units or 52% of the total, followed by Custer County (unincorporated) with 1,263. Among the three largest, Rapid City put 70% of its units in five-plus buildings, Custer County (unincorporated) 0%.

  • Rapid City52% (4,187 units)
  • Custer County (unincorporated)16% (1,263 units)
  • Box Elder12% (996 units)
  • Pennington County (unincorporated)9.1% (737 units)
  • Meade County (unincorporated)6.7% (541 units)
  • Sturgis1.8% (147 units)
  • Summerset1% (80 units)
  • Custer0.6% (49 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

Houses or apartments

In Rapid City, 53% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 45% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Elizabethtown (45% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 14%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2022 (997), single-family houses in 2004 (1,131).

2021–202552.8%53%2.6%44.6%45%2004–200676.9%77%9.5%10%13.6%14%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202552.8%53%2.6%44.6%45%2004–200676.9%77%9.5%13.6%14%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Rapid City authorized the most units in 2022 (1,933); 2025 reached 50% of that. Its peak year is shared by 19 other metro areas, among them Jonesboro, Brunswick, Warner Robins. Annual permits fell from 1,518 during the mid-2000s boom to 464 in 2011, a drop of 69%. The nearest bust profile in the West North Central states was St. Joseph's (70%). The 2021–2025 pace of 1,625 units a year is 26% above the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 5 years in a row up to 2022.

Where in the metro

Pennington County accounted for 74% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Custer County for 16%.

  • Pennington County74% (563 in 2025)
  • Custer County16% (260 in 2025)
  • Meade County9.7% (135 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Vineland, NJ1431.024%
Traverse City, MI8086.425%
Rapid City, SD95810.545%
Santa Fe, NM4954.062%
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL4001.916%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Rapid City beside Santa Fe

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: South Dakota. Counting rules.