Ellsworth Air Force Base Housing Guide
📍 Rapid City, South Dakota
Tips for Military Families
- Start your housing search early — on-base waitlists can be 6–12 months at popular bases.
- Check current BAH rates on the DTMO calculator before setting your housing budget — rates change annually.
- Join local military spouse Facebook groups for unfiltered rental reviews and landlord recommendations from families who've been there.
Everything you need to know about on-base and off-base housing options near Ellsworth Air Force Base. We cover BAH rates, popular neighborhoods for military families stationed in Rapid City, South Dakota, commute times, and what to expect from base housing communities.
On-base: Privatized housing through Balfour Beatty Communities — single-family homes, townhomes, and duplexes; wait lists 0-4 months; homes range from 1960s-era to newly constructed; attached garages are common (essential for winter)
Off-base (Box Elder): 5-10 min commute, the closest community to base; rentals $800-$1,300/month; basic amenities, some new construction, most affordable option
Off-base (Rapid City): 15-25 min commute, larger city with full amenities; rentals $1,000-$1,800/month; diverse housing from historic homes to new subdivisions
Top pick: Rapid Valley / southeast Rapid City — 15-20 min commute, newer homes, good schools, convenient to shopping and I-90, popular with base families
Note: BAH goes far in South Dakota — you can afford a nice home on BAH alone; winters are real (cold, snow, wind) but the base and city are well-prepared; no state income tax in South Dakota
Key Resources for Housing
Trusted external resources for military families researching housing near Ellsworth Air Force Base.