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Home / Hourly Rates / $8 Per Hour / South Dakota / Rapid City Paycheck
PAYCHECK & TAX BREAKDOWN

$8 an Hour is How Much a Week in Rapid City, SD?

An hourly pay rate of $8/hr in Rapid City, SD translates to $320 in gross weekly earnings based on full-time work of 2,080 annual hours before taxes.

Gross Annual $16,640 52 weeks @ 40 hrs
Gross Monthly $1,386.67 ~166.6 hours/month
Gross Weekly $320 40 hours/week
Overtime Rate (1.5x) $12 per hour after 40 hrs
Rapid City Affordability 38/100 Difficult — Low Cost of Living
Rapid City Cost of Living Low Cost of Living
Avg 1BR Rent in Rapid City 30% Rule: $416/mo budget
$1,093/mo $677 over budget ✗
Rapid City Median Wage BLS Local Area Estimate
$23.00/hr -65.2% below local median

How Much is $8 an Hour After Taxes in Rapid City, SD?

Adjust hours, state, or filing status to calculate custom net take-home pay.

Weekly Hours: 40 hrs/wk
10 hrs (Part-time) 40 hrs (Full-time) 80 hrs
hrs/wk
Estimated Net Take-Home
$291.6

per week after Federal, FICA & State Taxes


Daily Net $58.32
Monthly Net $1,263.59

Estimated Tax Breakdown ($16,640 Gross)

Federal Income Tax (~1.2%) $204
FICA Tax (Social Security & Medicare 7.65%) $1,272.96
South Dakota State Tax (~0.0%) $0
*Estimates based on 2026/2027 IRS tax brackets with standard deduction. ✓ IRS Publication 15-T Verified
Rapid City Real Purchasing Power (COL-Adjusted) ↑ 118% of National Average
$17,892 COL-Adj. Annual
$1,491 COL-Adj. Monthly
$8.60/hr Real Wage Equiv.

Your $15,163.04 net pay in Rapid City has the equivalent purchasing power of $17,892/yr nationally due to Rapid City's LCOL cost-of-living tier — $2,728.96 more than the same salary in an average U.S. city.

Full Tax & Paycheck Breakdown

For the complete gross-to-net pay matrix, tax calculation, and PTO comparison for $8.00/hr in South Dakota:

South Dakota Full Breakdown →

Cheaper Alternatives to Rapid City in South Dakota

Earning $8.00/hr in Rapid City is tight on housing. These South Dakota cities offer better rent-to-income ratios.

Safe Rent Budget: $416/mo (30% of gross)
City Avg 1BR Rent vs 30% Budget Needs Leftover Local Median Wage Housing Verdict
Mitchell $817/mo $401 over -$185/mo $17.20/hr 🔴 Difficult
Watertown $874/mo $458 over -$242/mo $18.40/hr 🔴 Difficult
Brookings $931/mo $515 over -$299/mo $19.60/hr 🔴 Difficult
Aberdeen $998/mo $582 over -$366/mo $21.00/hr 🔴 Difficult
Rapid City ← You $1,093/mo $677 over -$461/mo $23.00/hr 🔴 Difficult

*Needs Leftover = 50% of net pay ($632/mo) minus city average rent. Positive = comfortable; negative = rent strain.

City Report

Is $8.00/hr a Living Wage in Rapid City, SD?

Full monthly expense breakdown based on Rapid City cost-of-living data and BLS Consumer Expenditure benchmarks.

Below Living Wage Threshold in Rapid City

$8.00/hr falls $839/mo short of estimated living costs in Rapid City.

Rapid City (LCOL) living wage threshold: $15.50/hr — your wage is $7.50/hr below this threshold.

Estimated Monthly Expenses in Rapid City

Expense Category Amount Share
Avg 1BR Rent — Rapid City $1,093 86.5% of net
Groceries & Food $320 25.3% of net
Utilities (Electric, Water, Internet) $110 8.7% of net
Transportation (Gas, Insurance, Transit) $280 22.2% of net
Healthcare & Insurance $180 14.2% of net
Personal & Miscellaneous $120 9.5% of net
Total Monthly Expenses $2,103 -$839 deficit
Your Monthly Net Pay $1,263.59 100%

Rapid City Wage Percentile

$23.00/hr Rapid City Median Wage
$8.00/hr Your Hourly Rate
Bottom 34% of Rapid City Earners
31% of U.S. Median Income

Savings Milestones in Rapid City

Monthly Savings Capacity (20% of net) $253/mo
3-Month Emergency Fund Target $3,791
Months to Build Emergency Fund 15 months
20% Down Payment on Rapid City Median Home $52,464
Months to Save for Down Payment 11 months
50/30/20 BUDGET ALLOCATION

50/30/20 Budget Rule for $8/hr in Rapid City, SD

Based on estimated monthly take-home pay of $1,263.59 after taxes.

⚠️
Rapid City, SD Rent Deficit Warning ($677/mo Over Budget)

Average 1-bedroom rent in Rapid City ($1,093/mo) exceeds your 30% safe rent limit ($416/mo) by $677/month. Living with roommates or adjusting lifestyle wants is recommended in Rapid City.

Needs (50%) Essential
$631.79

Deducting $1093/mo Rapid City rent leaves $-461.21/mo for groceries & bills.

Wants (30%) Lifestyle
$379.08

Dining out, Hobbies & Subscriptions

Savings & Debt (20%) Wealth
$252.72

Emergency fund, Investments

Housing Affordability

How Much Rent Can You Afford on $8/hr in Rapid City, SD?

Financial experts recommend spending no more than 30% of your gross income on housing.

Recommended Max Monthly Rent
$416 / mo
Based on the 30% gross rule ($1,386.67 x 0.30).
Ideal Rent Range: $318.93 - $416/mo
Max Stretch Rent (Take-home 40%): Up to $505.44/mo
Rapid City Average 1BR Rent Benchmark: $1,093/month
Average Rapid City rent ($1093/mo) exceeds your 50% Needs budget by $461.21/mo.

Detailed Analysis: Is $8.00 an Hour a Good Wage?

At an hourly pay rate of $8/hr in Rapid City, SD, an individual generates approximately $320 in gross weekly earnings over a standard work schedule. In Rapid City, the local median individual wage sits at $23.00/hr, meaning your $8/hr rate represents a 65.2% discount compared to local peers. In comparison to nationwide median benchmarks, this rate provides a strong financial baseline.

Take-Home Pay & Net Cash Flow Analysis

In terms of actual purchasing power, an hourly rate of $8/hr delivers an estimated net take-home pay of $292 per week after accounting for Federal taxes, FICA contributions, and state withholdings in Rapid City, SD.

Housing Affordability & Safe Rent Guidance

Following the established 30% gross income housing guideline ($1,387 gross monthly x 0.30), the recommended maximum monthly rent for a $8/hr wage in Rapid City, SD is $416/month. This budget leaves a deficit of -$677/mo compared to the average Rapid City 1-bedroom rent of $1093/mo, indicating that independent housing is tight.

50/30/20 Monthly Budget Allocation

Applying the standard 50/30/20 budget framework to your estimated net monthly pay of $1,264: allocate $632 (50%) for essential needs, $379 (30%) for wants, and $253 (20%) for savings. Because the average local rent of $1093/mo exceeds the 50% Needs allocation, you will have a monthly deficit of -$461 in this category.

Rapid City Local Median Wage Benchmark ($23.00/hr) -65% Below Local Median
U.S. National Individual Median Income ($54,000/yr) -69% vs National Median

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is $8 an hour per week in Rapid City, SD?

Working a full-time 40-hour work week at $8/hr provides a gross weekly wage of $320 in Rapid City, SD before taxes.

What is the net weekly take-home pay for $8 an hour in Rapid City, SD?

After estimated federal, state, and local tax withholdings, a $8/hr wage results in a net take-home pay of approximately $292 per week in Rapid City, SD.

How many hours of work at $8/hr does it take to pay rent in Rapid City, SD?

Based on the local average 1-bedroom rent of $$1093 in Rapid City, SD, you would need to work approximately 137 hours per month to cover rent.

Salary Paycheck Period

Compare different paycheck frequencies for this exact hourly rate.

Weekly