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Rapid City, SD

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Rapid City, SD is $1,336 per month, ranking #289 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $71,985, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 22.3% of income on housing. Rent in Rapid City has increased 14.9% year over year. The area has a population of 151K, with 29.1% of households renting.

22.3%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,336
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$71,985
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,083
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+14.9%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
151K
Population
Census ACS
29.1%
Renters
of occupied housing
$274,200
Median Home Value
10.1%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
10.8%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$921
Studio
$1,018
1 Bedroom
$1,336
2 Bedroom
$1,743
3 Bedroom
$2,178
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Rapid City, SD, a household earning the area median income of $71,985 would spend 22.3% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$53,440
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$26
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,083
$253 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+52.7% since 2021
$8752021$9152022$9952023$1,1632024$1,1192025$1,3362026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in South Dakota is $11.20/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 91.8 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Rapid City is 10.8%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$11.20/hr
Hours/Week Needed
91.8 hrs
Poverty Rate
10.8%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Rapid City is $274,200. At a median income of $71,985, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.8x. 10.1% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,919 est. mortgage
vs $1,336 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
10.1%
of housing units

Other Areas in South Dakota

Meade County
$1,273/mo
2BR FMR · 20.6% burden
Custer County
$1,173/mo
2BR FMR · 17.2% burden
Sioux Falls
$1,156/mo
2BR FMR · 17% burden
Sioux City
$1,154/mo
2BR FMR · 19.2% burden

Compare Rapid City

vs Meade County, SDvs Custer County, SDvs Sioux Falls, SD

Areas With Similar Rent to Rapid City

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Rapid City, SD is $1,336 per month. A studio is $921/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,018/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,743/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,083/mo.

Rapid City has a rent burden of 22.3%, meaning a household earning the median income of $71,985 would spend 22.3% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $53,440.

Rapid City's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,336/mo is $86 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Rapid City ranks #289 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Rapid City without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $53,440, or a full-time hourly wage of $26/hour. The area median income is $71,985.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Rapid City increased by 14.9% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.