Rapid City, South Dakota

"Rapid City" redirects here. For other uses, see Rapid City (disambiguation).

Rapid City, South Dakota
City
Left to right, from top: Downtown Rapid City, The Journey Museum and Learning Center, Dahl Arts Center, Rapid City Public Library, and Hotel Alex Johnson.
Flag of Rapid City, South Dakota
Flag
Official logo of Rapid City, South Dakota
Logo
Nickname(s): 
Gateway to the Black Hills, City of Presidents
Location in Pennington County and the state of South Dakota
Location in Pennington County and the state of South Dakota
Coordinates: 44°04′17″N 103°13′15″W / 44.07139°N 103.22083°W / 44.07139; -103.22083
CountryUnited States
StateSouth Dakota
CountyPennington
FoundedFebruary 1876[1]
IncorporatedFebruary 1883[2]
Government
[3]
 • MayorJason Salamun
 • City CouncilWard 1: Josh Biberdorf & Jesse Ham
Ward 2: Lindsey Seachris & Bill Evans
Ward 3: Kevin Maher & Greg Strommen
Ward 4: John B. Roberts & Lance Lehmann
Ward 5: Rod Pettigrew & Pat Roseland
Area
[4]
 • City
55.129 sq mi (142.783 km2)
 • Land55.067 sq mi (142.623 km2)
 • Water0.062 sq mi (0.160 km2)
Elevation
[5]
3,356 ft (1,023 m)
Population
 (2020)[6]
 • City
74,703
 • Estimate 
(2023)[7]
79,404
 • RankUS: 461st
SD: 2nd
 • Density1,442/sq mi (556.7/km2)
 • Urban
85,679 (US: 342nd)
 • Metro
155,974 (US: 276th)
DemonymRapid Citian[8]
Time zoneUTC–7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC–6 (MDT)
ZIP Codes
57701, 57702, 57703, 57709
Area code605
FIPS code46-52980
GNIS feature ID1267543[5]
Sales tax6.2%[9]
Websitercgov.org

Rapid City is a city in South Dakota, United States, and the county seat of Pennington County.[10] It is the second most populous city in the state, after Sioux Falls. It is located on the eastern slope of the Black Hills in western South Dakota and was named after Rapid Creek, where the settlement developed. The population was 74,703 as of the 2020 census.[6]

Known as the "Gateway to the Black Hills" and the "City of Presidents" because of the life-size bronze president statues downtown, Rapid City is split by a low mountain ridge that divides the city's western and eastern parts, called ‘The Gap.’ Ellsworth Air Force Base is on the city's outskirts. Camp Rapid, part of the South Dakota Army National Guard, is in the city's western part.

Rapid City is home to such attractions as Art Alley, Dinosaur Park, the City of Presidents walking tour, Chapel in the Hills, Storybook Island, and Main Street Square. The historic "Old West" town of Deadwood is nearby. In the neighboring Black Hills are the tourist attractions of Mount Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, and the museum at the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research. To the city's east is Badlands National Park.

  1. ^ Hasselstrom, p. 331.
  2. ^ "Fred E. Stearns". Rapid City Library. Archived from the original on January 24, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
  3. ^ "Rapid City Common Council". City of Rapid City. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  4. ^ "2023 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  5. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Rapid City, South Dakota
  6. ^ a b "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference USCensusEst2023 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Zimmer, Eric Steven; Abrahamson, Eric John; Maloney, Brenna (April 2021). "Our History, Our Future: A Historic Context Document for Rapid City, South Dakota". Rapid City Government. Rapid City Historic Preservation Commission. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  9. ^ "Rapid City (SD) sales tax rate". Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  10. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.