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Rapid City

Black Hills hub where ranching counties meet a fast-growing regional city

The Rapid City media market anchors western South Dakota and pulls in corners of Wyoming and Nebraska, blending rural agricultural precincts with an urban core that has shifted measurably as the metro's population climbed past 80,000.

Presidential margin · 2024
Data unavailable for this race.
Race data unavailable
Geography
Race data unavailable
No current race for this office.
2024FIPS 764
Population997K
Median ageU.S. 38.9y
39y 0.1
Bachelor's+U.S. 35%
25.7% 9.3
  • White82.9%
  • Native8.8%
  • Two or more4.2%
  • Hispanic3.8%
  • Other0.9%
  • Black0.8%
  • Asian0.8%
Trajectory · 20082024
Rapid CityBaseline
Reagan → Bush IIObama → TrumpR+50R+40R+30R+20R+1002020D+5R+50
Cycle2024
Open in Cartographer

Constituent Counties

Constituent Geography

Counties in Rapid City

2024 presidential results across the counties that make up this geography.
Sort:
CountyPop.MarginDemRepTotalShare
Pennington114K
R+26.4
20,05135,00956,58010.4%
Pennington107K
R+26.4
20,05135,00956,58010.4%
Pennington97K
R+26.4
20,05135,00956,58010.4%
Pennington89K
R+26.4
20,05135,00956,58010.4%
Sheridan32K
R+49.4
3,92012,04116,4253.0%
Meade31K
R+50.9
3,42110,88714,6722.7%
Sheridan30K
R+49.4
3,92012,04116,4253.0%
Sheridan28K
R+49.4
3,92012,04116,4253.0%
Lawrence27K
R+31.4
5,0749,90415,4092.8%
Meade27K
R+50.9
3,42110,88714,6722.7%
Sheridan27K
R+49.4
3,92012,04116,4253.0%
Lawrence25K
R+31.4
5,0749,90415,4092.8%
Meade24K
R+50.9
3,42110,88714,6722.7%
Meade24K
R+50.9
3,42110,88714,6722.7%
Lawrence23K
R+31.4
5,0749,90415,4092.8%
Lawrence22K
R+31.4
5,0749,90415,4092.8%
Legacy FIPS 4611314K
E
0000.0%
Legacy FIPS 4611312K
E
0000.0%
Butte11K
R+60.6
9424,0245,0820.9%
Butte10K
R+60.6
9424,0245,0820.9%
Butte9K
R+60.6
9424,0245,0820.9%
Butte9K
R+60.6
9424,0245,0820.9%
Custer9K
R+45.8
1,5674,3136,0011.1%
Custer8K
R+45.8
1,5674,3136,0011.1%
Custer8K
R+45.8
1,5674,3136,0011.1%
Crook7K
R+77.4
4433,8054,3440.8%
Fall River7K
R+49.3
1,0303,1354,2740.8%
Crook7K
R+77.4
4433,8054,3440.8%
Custer7K
R+45.8
1,5674,3136,0011.1%
Fall River7K
R+49.3
1,0303,1354,2740.8%
Fall River7K
R+49.3
1,0303,1354,2740.8%
Weston7K
R+76.6
3783,0693,5120.6%
Fall River7K
R+49.3
1,0303,1354,2740.8%
Weston7K
R+76.6
3783,0693,5120.6%
Weston7K
R+76.6
3783,0693,5120.6%
Weston7K
R+76.6
3783,0693,5120.6%
Crook6K
R+77.4
4433,8054,3440.8%
Crook6K
R+77.4
4433,8054,3440.8%
Morrill5K
R+68.4
3662,0262,4260.4%
Morrill5K
R+68.4
3662,0262,4260.4%
Morrill5K
R+68.4
3662,0262,4260.4%
Morrill5K
R+68.4
3662,0262,4260.4%
Bennett4K
R+26.4
3896761,0880.2%
Bennett3K
R+26.4
3896761,0880.2%
Bennett3K
R+26.4
3896761,0880.2%
Perkins3K
R+70.0
2281,3421,5910.3%
Bennett3K
R+26.4
3896761,0880.2%
Jackson3K
R+35.1
3577531,1290.2%
Perkins3K
R+70.0
2281,3421,5910.3%
Perkins3K
R+70.0
2281,3421,5910.3%
Jackson3K
R+35.1
3577531,1290.2%
Perkins3K
R+70.0
2281,3421,5910.3%
Ziebach3K
R+2.8
3663887810.1%
Jackson3K
R+35.1
3577531,1290.2%
Jackson3K
R+35.1
3577531,1290.2%
Ziebach3K
R+2.8
3663887810.1%
Ziebach3K
R+2.8
3663887810.1%
Ziebach2K
R+2.8
3663887810.1%
Haakon2K
E
0000.0%
Haakon2K
E
0000.0%
Haakon2K
E
0000.0%
Haakon2K
E
0000.0%
Carter1K
R+80.2
757608540.2%
Harding1K
R+86.1
487548200.2%
Carter1K
R+80.2
757608540.2%
Carter1K
R+80.2
757608540.2%
Harding1K
R+86.1
487548200.2%
Carter1K
R+80.2
757608540.2%
Harding1K
R+86.1
487548200.2%
Jones1K
R+75.8
604775500.1%
Harding1K
R+86.1
487548200.2%
Jones1K
R+75.8
604775500.1%
Jones1K
R+75.8
604775500.1%
Jones767
R+75.8
604775500.1%
74 countiesTotal votes: 542,152
Historian Query

Ask the Historian

Explore Rapid City's political evolution with the Historian
Race & Ancestry

Who Lives Here

A race-first Census view with ancestry expansion where source coverage is strong enough to support detail.
Rapid CityCensus ACS 2024Ancestry detail available
Census race profile
Major Census race and ethnicity groups shown as a share of total population.
Expand rows for ancestry detail
White (Non-Hispanic) 82.9%Native American 8.8%Hispanic 3.8%Multiracial 2.9%Asian 0.8%Black 0.8%
GroupRapid CityNational
White (Non-Hispanic)(13)
82.9%57.4%
Native American / Alaska Native(7)
8.8%0.9%
Hispanic / Latino(14)
3.8%19.3%
Multiracial / Other
2.9%4.0%
Asian(6)
0.8%6.0%
Black / African American(9)
0.8%12.2%
Middle Eastern / North African(9)
0.3%0.9%
Method notes

Census treats race and Hispanic/Latino origin as separate questions. Race categories other than Hispanic reflect total populations (small Hispanic overlap in Black, Asian, AIAN, NHPI). “Multiracial / Other” is derived as a non-overlapping remainder.

Click rows to expand ancestry detail. Ancestry from ACS B04006, B03001, B02020, B02016. Totals may differ from race — individuals can report multiple ancestries.

Black / African American (estimated remainder) is derived as Black population share minus reported Sub-Saharan African and West Indian ancestry. It is shown as an estimated ancestry detail, not a standalone Census ancestry category.

MENA estimated from ancestry reporting — Census does not have a separate MENA race category. Not shown in bar (overlaps with other race groups).

Religious Adherents

Population that are religious adherents:
42.5%(113.0K people)
U.S. Religion Census 2020
Browse all religions

Catholic-Evangelical edge: -30.0pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Evangelical-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Republican-leaning rural and exurban communities.

Ecological pattern — how to read this

Reflects patterns in counties where this religious tradition concentrates — not a claim about individual voters.

Values are derived by joining Religion Census 2020 (U.S. Religion Data Archive) with certified election results at the county level. That means we know what counties with more or fewer of this group did — not how any individual voted.

This is known as ecological inference. It is a valid way to surface geographic correlation but must not be read as a personal-vote claim about anyone in the group.

Tradition% Pop% AdherentsUS PopUS Adherents
20.1%47.3%
9.5%22.3%
9.3%21.8%
3.5%8.2%
LDS (Mormon)
2.6%6.1%
0.1%0.3%
Non-religiousPopulation
57.5%
Click the chevron to expand denominations. Tradition and denomination rows label both share of total population and share of all religious adherents. Non-religious is shown as a share of total population only.

Who lives in the Rapid City media market? 996,762 residents across 74 counties.

Demographic Comparison

Demographics

Read this geography's profile in three layers: local, state (where available), and national baseline.
Export CSVPro
Rapid City vs National997K residents

26% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 7pp below the national average. Places with similar education levels vote R+3 on average nationally.

Population & electorate

Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.

Total population
Local vs state vs U.S.
997K
local
997KNational 334.9M
Share of U.S. population
Local vs state vs U.S.
0.30%
local
0.30%National 100%
Voting-age population
Local vs state vs U.S.
38.9%
local
38.9%National 75.7%
Economic profile

Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.

Median household income
Local vs state vs U.S.
$51,484
local
$51,484National $83,960
Poverty rate
Local vs state vs U.S.
13.7%
local
13.7%National 12.5%
College degree
Local vs state vs U.S.
25.7%
local
25.7%National 35.6%
Homeownership
Local vs state vs U.S.
69.2%
local
69.2%National 65.2%
Community profile

Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.

Median age
Local vs state vs U.S.
39.0 yrs
local
39.0 yrsNational 39.1 yrs
Age 18–29
Local vs state vs U.S.
11.7%
local
11.7%National 15.7%
Age 65+
Local vs state vs U.S.
13.5%
local
13.5%National 17.0%
Foreign born
Local vs state vs U.S.
1.9%
local
1.9%National 14.1%
Non-English at home
Local vs state vs U.S.
5.0%
local
5.0%National 22.2%
English only
Local vs state vs U.S.
95.0%
local
95.0%National 77.8%
Voter Turnout

Turnout in Rapid City

Turnout % = votes cast ÷ citizen voting-age population (CVAP). Source: CVAP Special Tab 2020-2024.
2024 Turnout
65.6%
vs Previous
+0.6pp
Eligible Non-Voters
71K · 34.4%
Citizen VAP
206,558
History
19882024
Ticket-Splitting

Do voters in Rapid City split their tickets?

Divergence between offices in the same election reveals persuadable voters.
ConsistencyHeavy splitting (0/100)
2024 Office Comparisons
OfficesMargin AMargin BSplit
President vs GovernorR+40.3R+85.345.0pp
President vs SenateR+40.3R+72.131.8pp
Senate vs GovernorR+72.1R+85.313.2pp
Average divergence across office pairs: 23.0pp
Containing Geography

Located In

Rapid City sits inside these higher-level geographies.
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