NAICS 51

Information in Rapid City, SD

Metro Market Score 45.8 (Moderate), ranked #158 of 294 metros. 160 establishments, 729 jobs.

Metro Market Score 45.8

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

At #158 of 294 metros, Rapid City's information sector scores 45.8 on the market index. Concentration (61.2), wage levels (37.1), and growth (45.2) all track close to the median. Local factors like lease costs and client access will matter more than macro signals.

Industry Concentration

61.2

LQ: 0.53

Rank #180 of 294 metros

Wage Competitiveness

37.1

$70,295 avg wage

Growth Trend

45.2

Employment growth index

Rank #162 of 294 metros

Wage Pressure

23.8

YoY wage change index

160 Information Firms in Rapid City

160

Establishments

+3.9% YoY

729

Total Employment

-3.1% YoY

$70,295

Average Annual Wage

+7.1% YoY

0.53

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within South Dakota

#1 of 1

information metros in state

South Dakota state rank

#8 of 51

for information entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (45.8)

Rapid City vs South Dakota Statewide

How this metro's information market compares to South Dakota overall. The state ranks #8/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Rapid City	SD Statewide
Overall Score	45.8 Moderate	33.6 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#158 of 294 metros	#8 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

Construction 47.7 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

Information Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Rapid City's 45.8 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Altoona, PA 46.0 #159/294 Barnstable Town, MA 46.0 #160/294 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 45.4 #157/294 Lancaster, PA 45.4 #156/294 Johnstown, PA 46.2 #161/294 Santa Fe, NM 46.2 #162/294 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY 46.2 #163/294 Wheeling, WV 45.2 #155/294 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA 45.2 #154/294 Abilene, TX 46.4 #164/294

Information in States Bordering South Dakota

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

North Dakota 28.8 #1/51 Montana 33.2 #7/51 Nebraska 37.8 #13/51 Iowa 38.3 #15/51 Wyoming 42.2 #21/51 Minnesota 42.6 #22/51

Browse Information in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for information 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 information sector, the employment growth component (54.8) 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