Who moves to Rapid City, and where they go
Every year the IRS counts how many people move between counties, based on the addresses on their tax returns. Here is what that shows for Pennington County, SD, home of Rapid City, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.
- Moved in
- 8,614from other US counties
- Moved out
- 7,974to other US counties
- Net
- +640more arrivals than departures
- From abroad
- 144tax filers and dependents only
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Where newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Meade County, SD | 1,026 |
| Lawrence County, SD | 237 |
| Oglala Lakota County, SD | 201 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 165 |
| Custer County, SD | 157 |
| Minnehaha County, SD (Sioux Falls) | 138 |
| Polk County, TX | 113 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 108 |
| Fall River County, SD | 105 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 95 |
| El Paso County, CO (Colorado Springs) | 90 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 68 |
Where people go when they leave
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Meade County, SD | 1,073 |
| Minnehaha County, SD (Sioux Falls) | 213 |
| Lawrence County, SD | 210 |
| Custer County, SD | 199 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 160 |
| Oglala Lakota County, SD | 124 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 84 |
| Fall River County, SD | 61 |
| Pima County, AZ (Tucson) | 59 |
| Pinal County, AZ (San Tan Valley) | 59 |
| El Paso County, CO (Colorado Springs) | 59 |
| Hughes County, SD | 55 |
Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. 2,493 of the newcomers came from elsewhere in South Dakota and 6,121 from other states. Here are the long-distance moves only, more than 100 miles:
Long-distance newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 165 |
| Minnehaha County, SD (Sioux Falls) | 138 |
| Polk County, TX | 113 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 108 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 95 |
| El Paso County, CO (Colorado Springs) | 90 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 68 |
| Jefferson County, CO (Lakewood) | 62 |
Long-distance movers go to
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Minnehaha County, SD (Sioux Falls) | 213 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 160 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 84 |
| Pima County, AZ (Tucson) | 59 |
| Pinal County, AZ (San Tan Valley) | 59 |
| El Paso County, CO (Colorado Springs) | 59 |
| Hughes County, SD | 55 |
| Larimer County, CO (Fort Collins) | 54 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to Rapid City come from?
Most people moving into Pennington County, SD come from nearby counties, led by Meade County, SD (1,026 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is Maricopa County, AZ.
Where do people leaving Rapid City move to?
The top destination is Meade County, SD (1,073 people). Farther away, the most popular is Minnehaha County, SD.
Are more people moving to Rapid City or leaving?
Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 8,614 people moved into Pennington County, SD from elsewhere in the US and 7,974 moved out, a net gain of 640 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).
Thinking about the move yourself? Compare Rapid City with any city it trades people with, like Rapid City vs Phoenix, Rapid City vs Sioux Falls, Rapid City vs Las Vegas, Rapid City vs San Diego.
Source: IRS Statistics of Income, county-to-county migration data for filing years 2022 to 2023, the latest available. Counts are people (the number of personal exemptions, which the IRS uses to approximate individuals): tax filers plus dependents whose address moved to a different county between the two filing years. People who do not file returns are not counted, and the IRS hides very small flows to protect privacy. Figures are for the whole county, not just the city of Rapid City.