| Measure | Rapid CitySouth Dakota, United States Remove Rapid City | Grand ForksNorth Dakota, United States Remove Grand Forks |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 5.5 | 6.1 |
| Connector Score | 4.3 | 6.2 |
| Safety | 4.2 | — |
| Affordability | 7.0 | 7.5 |
| Transportation | 7.5 | 9.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 6.0 | 7.0 |
| Walkability | 7.0 | 7.5 |
| Things to do | 4.9 | 5.7 |
| Food & dining | 5.3 | 3.9 |
| Places to stay | 5.5 | 5.4 |
| Nature & outdoors | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| Scenic value | 4.0 | 5.3 |
| Family friendliness | 4.3 | 4.7 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.2 | 5.9 |
| Nightlife | 3.4 | 3.8 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.6 | 6.1 |
| Road-trip convenience | 5.0 | 5.6 |
| Train-trip convenience | 5.5 | 6.7 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 6.2 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $123 | $90 |
| Mid-range | $198 | $138 |
| Luxury | $357 | $230 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | — | 90 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,100 | $900 |
| Median home price | $357,000 | $339,675 |
| Population | 81K | 60K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Airport | Drive Train Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Rapid City | — | 9 h 26 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | — | Car-free travel, History |
| Known for | National & state parks, Historic sites, Food scene | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping |
| When to go | Peak: June to August, and rooms and prices sp… | Peak: UND move-in and graduation, hockey and… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.