5 towns within about an hour of the main post area: drive time, rent, home values and the school district for each.
The green or red number is an E-5 with dependents' 2026 BAH ($1,986) minus that town's median 2-bedroom rent. Check your own pay grade.
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$733 a month
Douglas School District 51-1: 5 schools, 2,753 students, 15.6 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$726 a month
Rapid City School District 51-4: 26 schools, 12,432 students, 15.6 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$780 a month
Rapid City School District 51-4: 26 schools, 12,432 students, 15.6 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$696 a month
Meade School District 46-1: 11 schools, 3,034 students, 14 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,068 a month
Meade School District 46-1: 11 schools, 3,034 students, 14 students per teacher. District facts
Updated October 12, 2026. How we get our numbers.
Box Elder, SD is about 8 minutes from the main post area (3.2 road miles) without traffic.
Rapid City, SD, with about 77,946 people, 22 minutes from the main post area. Bigger towns usually mean more rentals, schools and jobs to choose from.
Sturgis, SD, where the Census median rent is $780 a month (rent plus utilities, 2020-2024 average). New leases usually cost more than the median, so check current listings too.
For an E-5 with dependents the 2026 DoD BAH is $1,986 a month. That is at or above the Census median 2-bedroom rent in 5 of the 5 towns here with a Census figure for that size, with the most left over in Sturgis, SD.
Douglas School District 51-1, with 5 schools and 2,753 students (15.6 students per teacher), from the NCES Common Core of Data. Always confirm the school for a specific address with the district.