Uprootmap
Los Angeles vs Rapid City
Los Angeles and Rapid City
Photo: WeaponizingArchitecture / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Rapid City are above the US rate in this release, 7.6 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Los Angeles to Rapid City
In 2022-2023, 73 households filed a move from Los Angeles to Rapid City (about 110 people, average adjusted gross income $85,616). 28 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $2,273 in Los Angeles and $1,138 in Rapid City. Los Angeles has a state tax on wages. Rapid City has no state tax on wages. Local pay in Rapid City is 88% of the national level for the same work, against 112% in Los Angeles.
Rapid City averages 237 sunny days, with July highs around 86°F and January nights around 18°F. Los Angeles is 284 sunny days, 84°F in July, 48°F in January. Commutes average 20 minutes in Rapid City and 32 in Los Angeles.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 73 households moved Los Angeles → Rapid City (about 110 people, average AGI $85,616). 28 households went the other way.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Los Angeles and Rapid City changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 1,286 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $3,300–$6,150
- Container or pod
- $2,350–$4,350
- Rent a truck
- $1,300–$2,500
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Dig into Rapid City
Questions
Is Rapid City cheaper than Los Angeles after tax and rent?
Yes. Rapid City leaves about $2,067 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $2,273 in Los Angeles and $1,138 in Rapid City.
Does Rapid City have state income tax?
Rapid City is in South Dakota, which has no state income tax.
Did people actually move from Los Angeles to Rapid City?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.