Rapid Valley is a census-designated place (CDP) and unincorporated community in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States, and a suburb of Rapid City. The population was 8,098 at the 2020 census. Rapid Valley has been a retreat for people living in Rapid City due to its low crime, cheap land, and views of the Black Hills. Rapid Valley is home to many industrial and financial businesses, and is the headquarters for many corporations specializing in transport and engineering.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 10.1 square miles (26.3 km), all land.
Rapid Valley is considered an unincorporated suburb of Rapid City, and is located five minutes east of Rapid City on the prairie.
Cityscape
Rapid Valley is often portrayed as the ideal example of urban sprawl. Many subdivisions are located in Rapid Valley. Rapid City has repeatedly made attempts at annexing Rapid Valley and while sections have been annexed, most attempts fail.
Demographics
At the 2000 census there were 7,043 people, 2,436 households, and 1,914 families in the CDP. The population density was . There were 2,493 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 90.69% White, 0.62% African American, 4.00% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 3.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.51%.