Closest International Airports:

• 395 miles: Denver, CO (DEN / KDEN) Denver International Airport
• 560 miles: Regina, Canada (YQR / CYQR) Regina International Airport
• 572 miles: Minneapolis, MN (MSP / KMSP) Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
• 581 miles: Fargo, ND (FAR / KFAR) Hector International Airport

Closest Major City:

• 311 miles to Aurora, CO
• 312 miles to Denver, CO
• 371 miles to Colorado Springs, CO
• 397 miles to Lincoln, NE

Closest Domestic Airport:

• 311 miles to Aurora, CO
• 312 miles to Denver, CO
• 371 miles to Colorado Springs, CO
• 397 miles to Lincoln, NE

Cost of Living:

• State Cost of Living Index - 102.8
• City Cost of Living Index - 84.2
• Mean Housing Cost - $166,099

Colleges and Universities:

• South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSM&T) has long been recognized as one of the best science and engineering colleges in the county. 
• Western Dakota Technical Institute provides diplomas and Associate in Applied Science degrees in 25 career fields to more than 4,000 students.
• National American University offers a wide variety of bachelor and associate degrees in business.

Demographics:

• White 79.9%
• Black 1.4%
• American Indian and Alaska Native 10.7% 
• Asian 1.2%
• Two or more races 6.3%
• Hispanic 5.0%

Taxes:

• State Income Tax Rate - 0%
• State Sales Tax Rate - 4.5%
• City Sales Tax Rate - 6.5%
• County Tax Rate - 4.5%
• Property Tax Rate - 1.33%

Major Industry:

• Retail trade (13%), 
• Construction (11%),
• Accommodation and food services (10%),
• Professional, scientific, and technical services (8%),
• Other services, except public administration (7%),
• Manufacturing (7%), 
• Administrative and support and waste management services (7%)

Recreation:

• Storybook Island is filled with dozens of larger-than-life sets that depict children's nursery rhymes and tales, including Yogi Bear's picnic basket and the Crooked Man's house.
• The Stavkirk Chapel, an exact replica of the famous 830-year-old Borgund Church in Norway, features intricate woodcarvings, strange dragon heads, and ingenious pegged construction.
• Fossil skeletons of giant, prehistoric marine reptiles command attention at the Museum of Geology at the South Dakota Schools of Mines and Technology. 
• The Indian Museum of North America celebrates North American Indian life and history, operating as part of the Crazy Horse Memorial in Rapid City.
• Jewel Cave, a national monument, contains more than 132 miles of surveyed passageways in an underground labyrinth that offers rare and unusual calcite crystal formations.
• With its jagged cliffs, deep canyons, flat-topped buttes, and rich fossils, Badlands National Park is one of the most stunning geological displays on earth.
• Wind Cave, the first cave designated as part of the National Parks system, provides more than 116 miles of mapped corridors and halls, making it the fifth-longest cave in the world.
• With four different major collections, the Journey Museum tells the story of the Great Plains.

Arts & Culture:

• Dahl Fine Arts Center features exhibits of paintings and sculptures by local artists, especially local Native American artists. A 180-foot-long oil-on-canvas mural depicts 200 years of American History. The museum offers tours and family events. 
• The Black Hills Community Theatre, Inc., the city's only community theater, is based in the Dahl Center's 170-seat auditorium. The nearby Black Hills Playhouse at Custer State Park is a professional theater and training center.
• Two puppet theaters entertain the community. Black Hills Dance Theatre, Inc. engages a variety of regionally and nationally recognized dance companies. The Black Hills Symphony Orchestra's 80 members offer educational outreach

Sports for the Spectator:

• The Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Arena plays host to the Indoor Football League's Black Hills Red Dogs. 
• Rapid City's Annual Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo in late January-early February, draws large crowds.

Sports for the Participant:

• Rapid City has 26 parks, playgrounds and special outdoor public facilities spanning 1,500 acres of park land inside the city limits. The largest, Sioux Park, offers 210 acres.
• A 13.5-mile bicycle path spans the town, which boasts 17 golf courses, 36 tennis courts, 16 horseshoe courts, 10 racquet-ball courts, 3 outdoor swimming pools, an indoor aquatic facility, 9 ball field complexes, 8 soccer facilities, an ice arena, 1 hockey rink, and 2 frisbee golf courses.
• Outdoor lovers enjoy two ski areas, 400 miles of trails and nature walks, 14 mountain lakes and 300 miles of streams and reservoirs; blue ribbon trout fishing and many types of hunting are also available.

Shopping:

• You'll find a variety of shopping available to you while visiting Rapid City.
• From the Rushmore Mall to unique downtown shops, Native American arts and crafts outlets and Black Hills gold jewelers, there's plenty of shopping opportunities throughout town.
• Experience Rushmore Crossing, Rapid Citys new outdoor mall. Whatever your mood or lifestyle, you'll discover what you're looking for in Rapid City.

Top Five things to do:

1. Bear County USA
2. Mount Rushmore National Memorial
3. Reptile Gardens
4. Wildlife Loop
5. Black Hills Central Railroad