Amarillo and Rapid City receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Amarillo
Rapid City
Opportunity
58 · Top 45%
vs71 · Top 21%
Growth
70 · Top 18%
vs65 · Top 26%
Climate
68 · Top 45%
vs54 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 26%
vs43 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 35%
vs87 · Bottom 30%
Access
89 · Top 25%
vs89 · Top 26%
Economic stability
56 · Top 43%
vs75 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Amarillo | Rapid City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 271,917 | 152,950 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,611 | $75,255 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,873 | $42,169 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 53/sq mi | 20/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $208,700 | $307,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,086 | $1,140 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.9% | 71.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 2.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.1% | 33.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.4% | 10.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,326 | 989 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 6.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 5.4% | -30.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 13°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.7" | 17.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 21.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.3 | 40.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Amarillo
Elevated or high exposure: hail, drought, wildfire.
Rapid City
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Amarillo
68
Your Score
65
Area Score
Rapid City
69
Your Score
66
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Amarillo, TX Metro Area · Rapid City, SD Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology