City profile · South Dakota · Census ACS 2023

Brookings, SD

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Brookings - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

23,710
Residents
$61,979
Median income
$243,600
Median home
$953
Median rent (state)

Brookings - the verdict

Brookings ranks in the 38th percentile for household income and the 53rd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

38th
percentile, household income
54th
percentile, home value
10th
percentile, median rent
53rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Brookings, SD

Brookings is a small city in South Dakota, home to 23,710 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $61,979 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.0%. Brookings's housing stock carries a median value of $243,600, and the median resident age is 24.7 years. Educational attainment runs 49.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 66.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 127 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 27% from five years earlier. Brookings reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1262.2 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Brookings's yearly average temperature at 43.3°F with 25.2 inches of precipitation per year and 35.8 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in South Dakota run below the national norm: the state registers 88.6 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $953 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts South Dakota's average monthly utility costs around $200 (state average). The average commute for Brookings workers runs 10.6 minutes, with 74.6% driving alone and 10.1% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 50.1 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

23,710 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Dakota

Median Household Income

$61,979 /yr

Poverty 6.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.6 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Dakota average

How does Brookings compare to other US cities?

Brookings measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 38% higher than other cities
Home value 54% pricier than other cities
Median rent 10% pricier than other cities
Safety 53% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just South Dakota and the picture shifts: Brookings ranks #14 of 34 South Dakota cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Brookings's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in South Dakota, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

38thIncome percentile
53rdSafety percentile

38th percentile nationally for median household income · 53rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Brookings's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Brookings's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 53 Avg. percentile National median
Brookings's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Brookings's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$243,600 46th percentile more affordable than 46% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Brookings $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Brookings, SD Brookings, SD's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Brookings, SD-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Brookings, SD median $61,979/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Brookings, SD's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Brookings, SD. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 49.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
23,710
Median Income
$61,979
Median Home Value
$243,600
Median Age
24.7
Poverty Rate
6.0%
Labor force participation
66.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
49.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1262.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
85.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1177.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
43.3°F
Annual Precipitation
25.2"
Annual Snowfall
35.8"

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
23,000 residents24,000 residents25,000 residents26,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 23,370 residents 25,355 residents ▲ +8.5%
Brookings's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
127
housing units authorized
Single-Family
101
detached homes
Multifamily
26
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 173
2020 76
2021 89
2022 81
2023 82
2024 127

Permit volume decreased 27% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
10.6 minutes
Drive Alone
74.6%
Carpool
9.2%
Public Transit
0.6%
Walk
4.4%
Work from Home
10.1%
Other
1.1%

Based on 12,780 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for South Dakota - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$200
estimated/month

Estimates reflect South Dakota state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a South Dakota state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Brookings sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.6
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$953/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
50.1 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Dakota

Watertown
22,859 people
Aberdeen
28,297 people
Mitchell
15,637 people
Yankton
15,501 people
Huron
14,347 people
Pierre
14,008 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Brookings's 23,710 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

San Fernando, CA
23,716 people
Munster, IN
23,733 people
Taylors, SC
23,686 people
Chantilly, VA
23,744 people
Farmington, MN
23,675 people
Highland, IN
23,749 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Brookings's $61,979 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Holbrook, AZ
$61,979 median income
Homestead, FL
$61,975 median income
Dennis Port, MA
$61,974 median income
West Reading, PA
$61,974 median income
Cana, VA
$61,985 median income
Pine, AZ
$61,964 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Brookings, SD Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Brookings, SD - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 87.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.0% White 87.1% Black or African American 1.5% Asian 4.8% American Indian 1.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.6% Two or more races 3.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Brookings compares to nearby South Dakota cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Brookings (this city) 23,710 $61,979
Watertown 22,859 $62,721
Aberdeen 28,297 $63,715
Mitchell 15,637 $56,374
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SD FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Brookings, SD?

What is the population of Brookings, SD? +

Brookings, SD has a population of 23,710 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Brookings, SD? +

Brookings households earn a median of $61,979 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Brookings? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Brookings; the closest available measure is the South Dakota state average, a cost of living index of 88.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within South Dakota vary by metro area.

Is Brookings, SD safe? +

Brookings has a total crime rate of 1262.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Brookings, SD? +

Brookings's median home value sits at $243,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Brookings? +

Climate normals put Brookings's yearly average temperature at 43.3°F, 25.2 inches of precipitation, and 35.8 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.