Box Elder, Summerset, Sturgis, or Black hawk? (Rapid City, Spearfish: crime, houses)

[mrs.bear]

We are looking to buy a home in the black hills area but we are not sure where to move too. We want small town with property and a safe place for the kids to run around. My husband travels for work so we need a safe place.

[mrs.bear]

That is suppose to say Sturgis

[SD4020]

Box Elder is a dump. Summerset is expensive, taxes are most obnoxious. Sturgis is okay, expect for the middle of July to the middle of August.

[SD4020]

That was a pretty awesome autocorrect.

[no8fann]

Originally Posted by SD4020

That was a pretty awesome autocorrect.

I would have to agree.

Some input: the schools in Sturgis are not great. I have a good friend who lives there who is constantly at odds with the teachers, and other friends in the area who have moved their children out of the district. There are many nice areas to live that are not in Sturgis city limits, but since you have children, schools will probably be at the top of your list of concerns.

Black Hawk is probably the best of the choices - though your kids will likely be bussed to Rapid City for school. Piedmont-Summerset-Black Hawk are really just an extension of Rapid City without all the amenities, but a lot of the costs...

Box Elder has the advantage of Douglas school system, if you can find a house outside of Box Elder proper (I agree whole-heartedly, the town itself has many rather icky aspects).

Whitewood is a decent, but very rural community between Sturgis and Spearfish. Again, there is an issue with bussing to school, although I think Whitewood does have an elementary school.

Stay far from Belle Fourche. I lived there for nearly 3 years, and outsiders are not very welcomed. That, and crime is increasing exponentially in the area, due to a population influx from the oil fields in ND.

We moved to Custer nearly 3 years ago and we LOVE it here. Very welcoming, safe and decent schools. The downside has been housing, but that seems to be changing some. More houses seem to be coming on the market that are affordable, with manageable taxes.

[eric#1]

I think its in the eye of the beholder, and what one is looking for for their children and a town. My parents are new to Belle and feel more at home than they did after 30 yrs in Sturgis while one of the reasons we were in Sturgis is due to the schools, and their amazing variety for arts photography and tech headstarts for things like welding and mechanics. I have a close friend that just moved to Sturgis and after bouncing around the hills, has never felt more at home anywhere.

Other than Sturgis the OP, is pretty much looking at the greater Rapid Communities, and they all have pockets that are more safe or less safe.