Rapid City, SD elevation
Downtown Rapid City sits at 3,243 ft (989 m) above sea level. The city limits climb well above that: the highest of our USGS sample points is 3,957 ft, 5.8 mi from downtown.
USGS elevation downtown
3,243ft
989 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 44.08054, -103.23101 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 3,037 to 3,957 ft
- 926 to 1,206 m · 148 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 3,380 ft (1,030 m)
- Source: USGS 3DEP
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made
Check your exact spot in Rapid City
Elevation changes from street to street. Use your location, search an address or click the map to get the USGS value for one point. Green pins mark the points named on this page.
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Elevation range inside the city limits
Rapid City covers 56.0 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 148 sampled points run from 3,037 ft (926 m) to 3,957 ft (1,206 m), a spread of 920 ft. The average of those points is 3,380 ft, higher than downtown.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 148 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 967 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 3,243 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Rapid City (3,243 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 89 % of sea level
- Air is still 20.9% oxygen; there is just less air.
- Oxygen calculator
- Home canning
- Above 1,000 ft, USDA processing times and pressure-canner pounds go up.
- Canning adjustments · Baking
Sources: pressure from the U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976 (NOAA, NASA, USAF); boiling point from the Antoine equation for water (Lange's Handbook of Chemistry); canning thresholds from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning. Not medical or food-safety advice; follow the tested USDA recipe for your altitude.
Rapid City compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Santa Fe, NM6,997 ft
- Hill City, SD4,985 ft
- Ogden, UT4,303 ft
- Summerset, SD3,641 ft
- Piedmont, SD3,493 ft
- Rapid City (downtown)3,243 ft
- Missoula, MT3,209 ft
- Box Elder, SD3,032 ft
- New Underwood, SD2,845 ft
- Bismarck, ND1,695 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Rapid City | 3,243 ft (989 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 3,957 ft (1,206 m) · 5.8 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 3,037 ft (926 m) · 10 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Rapid City Rgnl (KRAP) | 3,204 ft (976 m) · 9.0 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Rapid City at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 79,894 (July 1, 2024) | U.S. Census Bureau estimate |
| Land area | 56.0 sq mi (145.0 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Pennington | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Rapid City East | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 44.08054, -103.23101 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Pierre, SD — 1,479 ft, 144 mi (232 km) away
- Cheyenne, WY — 6,091 ft, 219 mi (352 km) away
- Bismarck, ND — 1,695 ft, 223 mi (358 km) away
- Fort Collins, CO — 5,004 ft, 259 mi (417 km) away
- Denver, CO — 5,276 ft, 313 mi (504 km) away
- All South Dakota elevations
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Rapid City, SD?
Downtown Rapid City is 3,243 ft (989 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 148 sampled points run from 3,037 to 3,957 ft.
What is the highest point in Rapid City?
The highest of our 148 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 3,957 ft (1,206 m), about 5.8 mi from downtown (44.0167, -103.3082). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Rapid City?
The lowest sampled point is 3,037 ft (926 m), about 10 mi from downtown. That is 920 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Rapid City?
At 3,243 ft, water boils at about 206.1 °F (96.7 °C) and standard air pressure is 26.58 inHg (900 hPa), so each breath holds about 89% of the oxygen it would at sea level. Cooking times for pasta, eggs and beans run a little longer than at sea level.
What is the elevation of the airport near Rapid City?
Rapid City Rgnl (KRAP), 9.0 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 3,203.5 ft (976 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Rapid City?
Yes. At 3,243 ft downtown, USDA tables call for longer boiling-water processing times and higher weighted-gauge pressure than at sea level. Check your own address, because the city spans 3,037 to 3,957 ft.
Sources
- USGS Elevation Point Query Service (3DEP) — downtown elevation and every sampled point
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Cartographic Boundary Files (places, states; 1:500,000) — city boundary used for sampling
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files (places) — land area and Census place match
- U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 Population Estimates (cities and towns, July 1, 2024) — population
- USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), Domestic Names — city-center coordinates, county and topo map name
- FAA Aeronautical Information Services, Airports (field elevation) — airport field elevation
- U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976 (NOAA/NASA/USAF); water boiling point by the Antoine equation (Lange’s Handbook of Chemistry) — boiling point, air pressure and oxygen
- USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning — canning altitude thresholds
How each number is produced: methodology and data sources.
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made