Is it cheaper to live in Rapid City or Shreveport?

Rapid City, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Shreveport, LA's $990, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Rapid City than in Shreveport?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $32,000 a year in Rapid City versus $34,000 in Shreveport.

Which has lower taxes, Rapid City or Shreveport?

Rapid City is taxed under South Dakota's rules (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax); Shreveport under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax).

Rapid City vs Shreveport Cost of Living 2026

Rapid City

South Dakota

$970/mo est.

Shreveport

Louisiana

$990/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $970 in Rapid City, SD versus $990 in Shreveport, LA. Overall, Rapid City, SD is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Shreveport, LA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $65,712 in Rapid City, SD and $48,465 in Shreveport, LA — about 26% higher in Rapid City, SD. South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Rapid City, SD

Shreveport, LA

Rent

Studio

$533

$756

+42% in Shreveport, LA

1 Bedroom

$807

$843

+4% in Shreveport, LA

2 Bedroom

$1,156

$978

+15% in Rapid City, SD

3 Bedroom

$1,260

$1,136

+10% in Rapid City, SD

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$270,000

$178,100

+34% in Rapid City, SD

Income

Median Household Income

$65,712

$48,465

+26% in Rapid City, SD

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,270

$44,820

+3% in Rapid City, SD

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

39.0 yr

37.5 yr

+1.5 yr in Rapid City, SD

Homeownership

61.6%

53.8%

+7.8 pp in Rapid City, SD

Bachelor's+ (25+)

36.4%

27.5%

+8.9 pp in Rapid City, SD

Avg Commute

17.4 min

19.0 min

+1.6 min in Shreveport, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

718.9

1,235.4

+72% in Shreveport, LA

Property Crime

3,795.8

4,048.2

+7% in Shreveport, LA

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

47.1°F

65.5°F

+18.4°F in Shreveport, LA

Annual Precipitation

16.3 in

51.0 in

+34.7 in in Shreveport, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$3.62/gal

+6% in Rapid City, SD

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.4

13.5

+12% in Rapid City, SD

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$15.26

$16.62

+9% in Shreveport, LA

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Rapid City, SD

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$1.75

+5% in Shreveport, LA

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.21

+39% in Rapid City, SD

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$6.45

+5% in Rapid City, SD

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$1.90

+9% in Rapid City, SD

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

Average prices — Midwest vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SD / LA)

4.2%

+0.8 pp in LA

Income Tax (top rate)

None

3.00%

+3.0 pp in LA

Rapid City vs Shreveport — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Rapid City or Shreveport?: Rapid City, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Shreveport, LA's $990, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Rapid City than in Shreveport?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $32,000 a year in Rapid City versus $34,000 in Shreveport.
Which has lower taxes, Rapid City or Shreveport?: Rapid City is taxed under South Dakota's rules (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax); Shreveport under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).