RAPID CITY, S.D. – Sales tax collections in Rapid City remain on a record-breaking pace through the first 10 months of 2025, according to the latest report from the city finance department.
The city generated more than $74.6 million in overall sales tax revenue through October, marking a 3.39 percent increase over the $72.21 million collected during the same period in 2024. For the month of October alone, the city collected $7,530,624, setting a new record for the month. This exceeds the $7.2 million collected in October 2024.
City Finance Director Daniel Ainslie noted that the receipts were very solid compared to previous years. Ainslie stated that the city looks forward to activity from the final two months of the year, noting that Rapid City’s numbers have remained strong compared to other areas of the state.
The report highlights several key areas of growth for the South Dakota municipality:
General fund sales tax receipts totaled more than $34.7 million through October, a 3.53 percent increase over the previous year. This fund supports essential services including police, fire, libraries, and parks. October collections for the general fund reached $3.5 million, which is 0.8 percent higher than the city’s budget projections.
Tourism sales tax reached a record for the month of October at $517,828. Total tourism tax for the first 10 months of the year reached $5.3 million, a 3.45 percent increase over 2024.
The Capital Improvement Fund, which pays for infrastructure like road reconstruction and park enhancements, saw an increase of 3.24 percent. Collections totaled more than $20 million through October, an increase of $629,389 over the same period last year.
Vision Fund collections also rose by 3.24 percent, totaling more than $14.5 million. These funds are dedicated to legacy projects such as The Monument and the Roosevelt Swim Center.
Data shows that sales tax collections in Rapid City have increased in 62 of the last 65 months, dating back to the end of the COVID-19 restriction period in mid-2020.
