TheUtilityCalc
⚖️ Metro Utility Cost Comparison • 2026 Fiscal Records

Rapid City, SD vs Brookings, SD

Relocating or comparing cost of living? Here is the complete head-to-head utility bill breakdown between Rapid City and Brookings, based on public utility commission filings and municipal meter schedules.

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Rapid City

Pennington County • Pop. 108,000

Average Bill: $293/mo
Cost Variance
$0/mo
Annual Difference: $0/yr

Rapid City is approximately 0% the same than Brookings in overall monthly utility bills.

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Brookings

Brookings County • Pop. 60,000

Average Bill: $293/mo
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Executive Summary & Citability Passage

EIA / NOAA / Municipal Survey 2026

In 2026, living in Rapid City, SD incurs an average monthly utility expense of $293, compared to $293 per month in Brookings, SD. This reflects a 0% equal overall household utility cost, saving homeowners approximately $0 monthly or $0 each calendar year. Residential power tariffs in Rapid City average $0.124 per kWh supplied by Xcel Energy / Black Hills Energy, whereas Brookings residents pay $0.124 per kWh through Xcel Energy / Black Hills Energy. Municipal water and sewer charges also diverge, with Rapid City averaging $36.00 in combined monthly meter baselines versus $36.00 in Brookings. Climatologically, Rapid City registers 1345 Cooling Degree Days and 5367 Heating Degree Days, compared to 1295 CDD and 5446 HDD in Brookings, creating distinctly different seasonal heating and cooling load patterns across winter and summer quarters. Overall, verified 2026 public tariff benchmarks confirm that Brookings maintains more economical municipal utility infrastructure than Rapid City.

Interactive Simulation

Household Sizing Simulator

Select your home type to adjust estimated monthly consumption for Rapid City and Brookings.

Rapid City Est.
$293/mo
Power:$123
Water & Sewer:$89
Gas & Trash:$87
Projected Variance
+$0/mo

Brookings saves your household roughly $0 per year at this consumption tier.

Brookings Est.
$293/mo
Power:$123
Water & Sewer:$89
Gas & Trash:$87

Head-to-Head Utility Tariff Breakdown

Direct comparison of published rates, electric tariffs, and municipal meter charges.

EIA-861 Calibrated
Utility Component Rapid City, SD Brookings, SD
⚡ Residential Electric Rate ($/kWh) $0.124 / kWh $0.124 / kWh
Electric Monthly Customer Base Fee $11.00/mo $11.00/mo
Electric Provider & Market Structure
Xcel Energy / Black Hills Energy
Regulated Monopoly Utility
Xcel Energy / Black Hills Energy
Regulated Monopoly Utility
♨️ Natural Gas Rate ($/Therm) $1.02 / Therm $1.02 / Therm
Natural Gas Fixed Customer Charge $18.00/mo $18.00/mo
💧 Water Base Meter Charge (5/8" - 3/4") $15.00/mo $15.00/mo
Water Tier 1 Volumetric (per 1,000 gal) $3.05 $3.05
Water Tier 2 Conservation (per 1,000 gal) $4.70 $4.70
Wastewater / Sewer Rates Base: $21.00/mo
Volumetric: $5.80/1k gal 		Base: $21.00/mo
Volumetric: $5.80/1k gal
🗑️ Curbside Solid Waste & Recycling $23.00/mo $23.00/mo
Stormwater Drainage Clean Water Fee $4.00/mo $4.00/mo
Initial Move-in Deposit / Connection Fee Deposit: $130 – $230
Turn-on: $20.00 		Deposit: $130 – $230
Turn-on: $20.00

Climate & Seasonal HVAC Load Drivers

NOAA degree-day data dictating peak air conditioning and heating power spikes.

NOAA 1991–2020 Normals
Climate Indicator Rapid City, SD Brookings, SD
☀️ Cooling Degree Days (CDD) 1,345 CDD 1,295 CDD
❄️ Heating Degree Days (HDD) 5,367 HDD 5,446 HDD
Peak Summer AC Bill Volatility +36% Summer Spike +35% Summer Spike
Regional Climate Summary NOAA 1991-2020 climate averages document 1,345 Cooling Degree Days and 5,367 Heating Degree Days annually across Pennington County. NOAA 1991-2020 climate averages document 1,295 Cooling Degree Days and 5,446 Heating Degree Days annually across Brookings County.

Clean Energy & Solar Economics

Rooftop solar irradiance and net metering rules to mitigate high utility bills.

NREL Solar Data
Solar Component Rapid City, SD Brookings, SD
☀️ Daily Peak Sun Hours 4.2 hrs/day 4.2 hrs/day
Net Metering / Export Compensation SD PUC net metering up to 100 kW with annual reconciliation at avoided cost. SD PUC net metering up to 100 kW with annual reconciliation at avoided cost.
City Solar Calculator Rapid City Solar Estimator → Brookings Solar Estimator →
🏙️ Rapid City Official Estimator

Rapid City, SD Utility Calculator

Access the interactive multi-utility calculator, municipal moving checklists, and verified billing schedules for Rapid City.

ZIP: rapid-city Open Rapid City Hub →
🏙️ Brookings Official Estimator

Brookings, SD Utility Calculator

Access the interactive multi-utility calculator, municipal moving checklists, and verified billing schedules for Brookings.

ZIP: brookings Open Brookings Hub →
Common Inquiries

Frequently Asked Questions: Rapid City vs Brookings

Direct answers to key cost of living and utility comparison questions.

Is it cheaper to live in Rapid City or Brookings for utilities? ▼
Both Rapid City and Brookings have identical estimated utility burdens averaging $293 per month.
How do residential electric rates compare per kilowatt-hour? ▼
Residential electricity in Rapid City costs $0.124 per kWh supplied by Xcel Energy / Black Hills Energy, compared to $0.124 per kWh in Brookings served by Xcel Energy / Black Hills Energy. For a home consuming 1,000 kWh per month, this rate difference accounts for $0.00 in monthly energy charges before fixed customer meter charges.
What is the water and sewer rate difference between Rapid City and Brookings? ▼
In Rapid City, the minimum fixed water meter charge is $15.00/mo plus $21.00/mo sewer baseline. In Brookings, the base water fee is $15.00/mo with $21.00/mo sewer baseline. Volumetric Tier 1 water is $3.05/1k gal in Rapid City versus $3.05/1k gal in Brookings.
How does weather and climate impact summer and winter power bills? ▼
Rapid City logs 1,345 Cooling Degree Days with a 36% summer AC bill surge. Conversely, Brookings records 1,295 CDD with a 35% summer surge. Heating Degree Days measure 5,367 in Rapid City versus 5,446 in Brookings.
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📍 Popular Comparisons for Rapid City

Rapid City vs Sioux Falls, SD $293 vs $298 → Rapid City vs New York City, NY $293 vs $440 → Rapid City vs New York, NY $293 vs $439 → Rapid City vs Los Angeles, CA $293 vs $395 →

📍 Popular Comparisons for Brookings

Brookings vs Sioux Falls, SD $293 vs $298 → Brookings vs New York City, NY $293 vs $440 → Brookings vs New York, NY $293 vs $439 → Brookings vs Los Angeles, CA $293 vs $395 →
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Official Municipal Filings

Tariff data is sourced directly from city council utility rate resolutions, Public Utility Commission (PUC) filings, and retail provider dockets.

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Federal Energy Benchmarks

U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Form EIA-861M residential sales data is leveraged to calibrate regional seasonal consumption models.

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USGS & NOAA Climate Standards

Water and sewer discharge volume models use USGS per capita metrics; HVAC load draws from NOAA Cooling & Heating Degree Day (CDD/HDD) indexes.

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Est. Monthly Bill
$335/mo