Rapid City receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fairbanks-College
Rapid City
Opportunity
68 · Top 26%
vs71 · Top 21%
Growth
40 · Bottom 34%
vs65 · Top 26%
Climate
38 · Bottom 1%
vs54 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
28 · Bottom 17%
vs43 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
92 · Bottom 42%
vs87 · Bottom 30%
Access
71 · Bottom 39%
vs89 · Top 26%
Economic stability
80 · Top 14%
vs75 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Fairbanks-College | Rapid City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 95,460 | 152,950 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,267 | $75,255 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,905 | $42,169 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 13/sq mi | 20/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $298,200 | $307,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,459 | $1,140 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.7% | 71.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 2.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.1% | 33.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.1% | 10.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 21 | 989 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 6.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 110.0% | -30.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 68°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | -2°F | 13°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.0" | 17.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.5 min | 21.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.5 | 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
Fairbanks-College
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
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.
Fairbanks-College
59
Your Score
56
Area Score
Rapid City
69
Your Score
66
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fairbanks-College, AK Metro Area · Rapid City, SD Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology