Custer, SD

Custer is a friendly community of around 2,000 people set in the southern Black Hills of South Dakota. Founded during the 1874 gold rush, the town is best known today as a scenic basecamp for exploring the surrounding pine forests and granite peaks. Living here puts incredible outdoor recreation right out your back door, with Custer State Park directly to the east and quick access to Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave.

ATTRPosi66 / Public domain

Daily life centers around a historic Main Street lined with local diners, coffee shops, and small businesses. For a town its size, Custer covers the essentials well, with its own K-12 school district and Monument Health Custer Hospital right in town. Summer brings plenty of energy as travelers head into the parks, and the rest of the year settles into a quiet, close-knit rhythm where neighbors know one another.