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Living in
Brookings.
About
Life in Brookings
Brookings is a community of 23,710 people in South Dakota. The median household income is $63,493, median rent runs about $889 per month, and median home values are around $265,500. Unemployment is low at 2.1%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Brookings at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
24.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.9%
Foreign-Born
7.4%
Broadband Internet
91.1%
of households
Population Growth
+8.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.4% foreign-born, most often from Czechoslovakia (includes Czech Republic and Slovakia)
Who lives in Brookings: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Brookings, the largest foreign-born group is from Czechoslovakia (includes Czech Republic and Slovakia) (14.4%), and 3.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.6%
of residents
65 and Older
12.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
21.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
40.1%
of households
Married Couples
36.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.26
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 6% below SD average
Rent, home values, and income in Brookings
In Brookings, rent runs 6% below the SD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
39.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.0%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$3,097
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
47.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1986
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $325,663 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for SD
Unemployment in Brookings
Unemployment in Brookings County, which includes Brookings, is close to the SD average.
Unemployment rate
Brookings: Brookings County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Brookings County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Brookings Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute12.5 min avg
How Brookings residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Brookings, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 90% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 45 mi
Watertown Regional Airport (ATY)
Regional airport · few flights14k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 66% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Brookings runs 66% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
112.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
868.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Brookings Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 37 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
50.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Brookings County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Brookings County, which includes Brookings, the most common type is winter weather, with 37 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 21 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 27 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2022 | 28 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2021 | 17 | Drought | $3,000 |
| 2020 | 25 | Winter Weather | $13,000 |
| 2019 | 39 | Flood | $511,500 |
| 2018 | 30 | Winter Weather | $10,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Brookings County, county-wide
Air Quality46 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Brookings County, which includes Brookings, is typically good — 214 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
46
Good Days
214
per year
Moderate Days
146
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Brookings County, county-wide
Climate79°F summers, 7°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Brookings has mild summers (avg high 79°F) and very cold winters (avg low 7°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
53°/32°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
79°/58°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
57°/35°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
26°/7°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
24.7"
Annual Snowfall
35.8"
Hot Days/Year
8
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
177
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
108
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22°F | 4°F | 0.43" |
| Feb | 27°F | 7°F | 0.50" |
| Mar | 39°F | 20°F | 1.06" |
| Apr | 54°F | 32°F | 2.17" |
| May | 67°F | 45°F | 3.45" |
| Jun | 77°F | 56°F | 4.29" |
| Jul | 81°F | 60°F | 3.61" |
| Aug | 79°F | 57°F | 3.22" |
| Sep | 72°F | 48°F | 3.10" |
| Oct | 58°F | 34°F | 1.97" |
| Nov | 41°F | 22°F | 0.80" |
| Dec | 28°F | 10°F | 0.61" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Brookings
Brookings has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Brookings Health System
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Brookings
Brookings's student/teacher ratio is 14.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 47.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
47.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Brookings
Public · 4-year · 9,198 students · in-state tuition $9,554 · 59% graduate · median earnings $58,802 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pipestone National Monument, 30 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Brookings
Brookings has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Pipestone National Monument (30 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pipestone National Monument
National Monument
30 mi awayPublic Libraries in Brookings
Brookings Public Library
515 Third Street, Brookings
Cities Near Brookings
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Brookings?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Brookings FAQ
Is Brookings, South Dakota affordable?⌄
Brookings's median rent is $889/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $63,493/year. Median home value is $265,500.
Is Brookings, South Dakota safe?⌄
Brookings's violent crime rate was 113 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 869 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Brookings, South Dakota?⌄
Brookings County, which includes Brookings, has an unemployment rate of 2.1%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Brookings, South Dakota?⌄
The cost of living in Brookings is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $889/month and median household income is $63,493/year. The median home value is $265,500. About 39% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Brookings, South Dakota?⌄
The average commute in Brookings is 13 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from