Residential comparison · 13 facts
Brookings, SD vs Rapid City, SD
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Brookings needs about $88,500 in Rapid City to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Rapid City, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $81,500 in Brookings.
A few differences
- Rapid City is higher on median household income ($70,870 vs $63,493).
- Brookings is lower on cost of living index (81 vs 88).
- Brookings is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($868/mo vs $1,206/mo).
Brookings vs Rapid City · facet by facet
| Facet | Brookings, SD | Rapid City, SD |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $265,500 | $299,400 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $868/mo | $1,206/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.17% | 1.17% |
| State & local income tax | 0% | 0% |
| Sales tax | 6.1% | 6.1% |
| Cost of living index | 81 | 88 |
| Groceries index | 96 | 96 |
| Utilities | $140/mo | $140/mo |
| Median household income | $63,493 | $70,870 |
| Unemployment rate | 2% | 2% |
| Crime index | 42/100 | 42/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 210 days | 210 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Brookings, SD · Rapid City, SD
Questions & answers
- Is Brookings cheaper than Rapid City?
- Brookings has the lower day-to-day cost index (81 vs 88 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Rapid City equals $85,000 in Brookings?
- A household earning $85,000 in Brookings needs about $88,500 in Rapid City to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Rapid City lifestyle costs about $81,500 in Brookings.