The Unique Context of Economic Mobility in North Rapid

2026 Economic Mobility Summit

Created for Guy McPerson

North Rapid City is a neighborhood that mixes residential and commercial uses where most families live in multifamily housing. Today, more than 3,400 people live in the part of the neighborhood covered by the primary census tract in the area.

During the last decade, the population in this portion of the city grew by close to 500 people. The area has also changed in other ways.

This part of North Rapid City has a high rate of poverty compared to other U.S. neighborhoods. Around 35% of residents live below the poverty line, which is about two times greater than the average for Pennington County and about two-and-a-half times more than the national average.

We can also observe how some of the indicators linked to future prosperity are currently performing.

Homeownership is low in this portion of North Rapid City. Around 38% of homes are owner-occupied.

Housing growth during the last decade was positive in this part of the city. The number of local homes increased by 9%.

Long-term vacancy is low in this portion of North Rapid City. Approximately 5% of homes sit empty and off the market.

Self-employment rates are high in this part of the community. Over 1o% of workers work for themselves.

Something went wrong when submitting the form. Please refresh and try again.

If you are interested in learning more about Common Good Labs and our research, please sign up for our quarterly newsletter here.