| Measure | Rapid CitySouth Dakota, United States Remove Rapid City | ThorntonColorado, United States Remove Thornton |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 5.5 | 5.1 |
| Connector Score | 4.3 | 7.5 |
| Safety | 4.2 | 6.7 |
| Affordability | 7.0 | 5.7 |
| Transportation | 7.5 | 5.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 6.0 | 2.5 |
| Walkability | 7.0 | 3.8 |
| Things to do | 4.9 | 4.3 |
| Food & dining | 5.3 | 4.6 |
| Places to stay | 5.5 | 6.1 |
| Nature & outdoors | 4.0 | 2.0 |
| Scenic value | 4.0 | 3.0 |
| Family friendliness | 4.3 | 4.3 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.2 | 4.9 |
| Nightlife | 3.4 | 4.3 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.6 | 5.7 |
| Road-trip convenience | 5.0 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 5.5 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $123 | $130 |
| Mid-range | $198 | $188 |
| Luxury | $357 | $325 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | — | 108 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,100 | $1,650 |
| Population | 81K | 148K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Airport | Drive Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Rapid City | — | 7 h 12 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | — | — |
| Known for | National & state parks, Historic sites, Food scene | Live music, Shopping |
| When to go | Peak: June to August, and rooms and prices sp… | Peak: June to September |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.