Box Elder, SD: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Box Elder (Lakota: čhaŋšúška; "box elder maple") is a city in Pennington and Meade Counties, South Dakota, United States. The population was 11,746 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 13,887 in 2024, making it the ninth-most populous city in South Dakota. Ellsworth Air Force Base lies on the northwest side of the city, and it is a suburb of Rapid City. Box Elder was named from nearby Boxelder Creek.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Box Elder ranks

All →

#3Fastest growing in SD #4Most new homes in SD #7Lowest obesity in SD All SD rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code57719

Area code605

Living in Box Elder

Housing in Box Elder

$367K▲ 2.3% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Box Elder home is worth about $367,000, up 2.3% in a year, 14% above the South Dakota typical home.

A buyer's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market79

Sale-to-list99.6%

Sold in May13

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Box Elder

C

Safety Grade C

Box Elder reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 69% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Box Elder 3.1

South Dakota 3.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Box Elder 13.8

South Dakota 14.3

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Health in Box Elder

B⁺

Health Grade B+

Healthier than 74% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 89% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with South Dakota

12better than SD·6worse

of 26 measures CDC estimates. The other 8 are too close to call.

Conditions 9▲ 1▼ 2 close Habits 1▲ 1▼ 2 close Care 3▼ 4 close Mind 2▲ 1▼ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

5.5%Fewer adults who have had cancerSD 9.2% · better 4.3%Fewer adults with heart diseaseSD 6.8% · better 23.6%More binge drinkersSD 18.8% · worse

Care nearby

Monument Health Rapid City HospitalRapid City · 7.5 mi · ER

Main ClinicRapid City · 6.1 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Box Elder · CMS · HRSAHealth in Box Elder →

Schools in Box Elder

All Box Elder schools →

B⁻

School Grade B-

The public schools Box Elder’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 52% of South Dakota’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

See how Box Elder’s schools compare in SD →

DistrictDouglas School District 51-1Schools4

Patriot Elementary -06 B-Elementary · Grades PK–3 · 982 students Vandenberg Elementary - 02 C+Elementary · Grades 4–5 · 454 students Douglas Middle School - 01 C-Middle · Grades 6–8 · 633 students Douglas High School - 03 A-High · Grades 9–12 · 739 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within SD. Ratings are from neighbors.

Famous people from Box ElderWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Box Elder.Meet them →