NAICS 23

Construction in Rapid City, SD

Metro Market Score 47.7 (Moderate), ranked #170 of 342 metros. 858 establishments, 6,054 jobs.

Metro Market Score 47.7

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

🏭Industry Hub

With a 1.57 location quotient, Rapid City has an outsized construction presence relative to its population. That concentration (index: 93.6) creates a mature local market where supplier networks are established but differentiation matters more.

Industry Concentration

93.6

LQ: 1.57

Rank #320 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

26.0

$66,647 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 71.0

Employment growth index

Rank #100 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

45.6

YoY wage change index

858 Construction Firms in Rapid City

858

Establishments

+2.4% YoY

6,054

Total Employment

+4.3% YoY

$66,647

Average Annual Wage

+9.3% YoY

1.57

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within South Dakota

#1 of 2

construction metros in state

South Dakota state rank

#9 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-1.4

better than median (49.1)

Rapid City vs South Dakota Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to South Dakota overall. The state ranks #9/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Rapid City	SD Statewide
Overall Score	47.7 Moderate	34.7 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#170 of 342 metros	#9 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Rapid City

Information 45.8 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 48.5 Finance and Insurance 50.7 Other Services 52.6 Healthcare and Social Assistance 59.9 Retail Trade 70.8

Construction in Other South Dakota Metros

Sioux Falls 49.1 #180/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Rapid City's 47.7 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Victoria, TX 47.7 #169/342 Bend, OR 47.8 #171/342 Bangor, ME 47.9 #172/342 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 47.5 #168/342 Burlington-South Burlington, VT 48.0 #173/342 Missoula, MT 47.4 #167/342 Green Bay, WI 47.3 #166/342 Modesto, CA 48.2 #174/342 Lynchburg, VA 47.1 #165/342 Lewiston, ID 48.3 #175/342

Construction in States Bordering South Dakota

State-level entry risk for construction in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Nebraska 32.5 #5/51 Iowa 34.3 #7/51 Minnesota 37.3 #14/51 Montana 45.0 #28/51 North Dakota 58.3 #47/51 Wyoming 59.3 #49/51

Browse Construction in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for construction across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Rapid City's construction sector, the industry concentration component (93.6) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Rapid City, SD MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment