Elevate Rapid City was formed in 2019 as a merger of the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Partnership, and Economic Development Foundation (Ascent Innovation).
As the premier western South Dakota economic development organization, Elevate is committed to promoting business and personal advancement through a targeted spotlight on jobs, infrastructure, and overall quality of life in and around the Black Hills region and the Rapid City metro area.
Together, we strive to embrace the heart and soul of our community through diversified growth and strong professional opportunities advocating the strengths of the Black Hills.
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Elevate Rapid City and the Black Hills Manufacturing Alliance are launching the first-ever Coolest Thing Made in the Black Hills competition — a friendly, bracket-style contest that highlights the products and companies shaping our region’s future.
This expansion reflects the strong business climate in Rapid City, where companies like Black Hills Energy have thrived thanks to a supportive community and access to growth opportunities.
This month’s Rapid City Economic Indicators are having a Chris Gaines moment—some numbers look good, others tell a different story. From rising sales and steady jobs to puzzling housing trends and inflation, here’s what’s really happening in the Rapid City economy.
There are countless reasons we could answer "Why Rapid City?" But there's something extra special about when others realize how great a community is. Most recently, Rapid City was named on Livability’s Top 100 Best Places to Live list. Rapid City continues to get recognized as a great community alongside South Dakota's statewide rankings. Check out all of our latest rankings and accolades.
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When Elevate Rapid City was formed in 2018, we promised to deliver results to the Rapid City Region. We met our goals in our first five years. Now, we're chasing after even more. These are the goals we will achieve by 2027. You can see all our work and progress in our annual reports.
January 2023: 74,169 / December 2024: 79,200
January 2023 - December 2024: $20.17B
January 2023: $858/ December 2024: $1037
January 2023 - December 2024: $861 Million
National Average: 62.59%