Population 25,068 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Brookings: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Brookings
Household size in Brookings
| Period | Brookings | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.52 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.33 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.37 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.48 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.18 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Brookings is a place of small households, averaging 2.34 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.52 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the northeast.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Brookings
| Period | Brookings | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.0 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 28.9 | 38.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 29.7 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 30.9 | 38.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.9 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Brookings is young: half of its residents are under 30.9, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has climbed from 28.0 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only two of the 22 South Dakota cities with 5,000+ people are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Brookings
| Period | Brookings | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.6% of households in Brookings, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.3 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. No other South Dakota city with 5,000+ people has a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Brookings
Renters in Brookings
| Period | Brookings | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.3% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 48.6% | 32.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.3% | 32.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 49.8% | 31.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Brookings than nationally: 49.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 44.9% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.4 points, mirroring the country. Only one other South Dakota city with 5,000+ people has a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Brookings
| Period | Brookings | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 10.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.3% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.7% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Brookings is close to the national rate: 9.7% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Vacancy is little changed from 2006–10, while the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Brookings
| Period | Brookings | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1977 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +9 | +6 |
Homes in Brookings are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1987, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Brookings
| Period | Brookings | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $593 | $631 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $684 | $692 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $789 | $798 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,041 | $1,000 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$448 | +$369 | +$606 |
The median renter in Brookings pays $1,041 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $448 a month since 2006–10, up 75%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 26.5% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Brookings
Bachelor's degrees in Brookings
| Period | Brookings | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.8% | 26.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 51.5% | 27.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.6% | 29.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 44.0% | 32.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than four in ten adults 25 and older in Brookings (44.0%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has fallen 3.8 points, even as the national share rose. Only two of the 22 South Dakota cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Brookings
| Period | Brookings | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.2% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.0% | 91.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.4% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.8% | 93.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Brookings: 97.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 3.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other South Dakota city with 5,000+ people has a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Brookings
| Period | Brookings | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 4.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.6% | 4.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 3.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Brookings than nationally: unemployment was 3.9%, against 5.4%. Even so, the rate is higher than in South Dakota overall (3.1%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Brookings compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookings | 2.34 | 30.9 | 4.6% | 49.8% | 9.7% | 1987 | $1,041 | 44.0% | 97.8% | 3.9% |
| Sunnyview | 3.05 | 26.8 | 7.4% | 29.8% | 6.8% | 2000 | $1,423 | 53.6% | 99.4% | 2.0% |
| Aurora | 2.45 | 31.3 | 4.9% | 21.6% | 4.0% | 1997 | $881 | 36.3% | 97.6% | 2.4% |
| Volga | 2.49 | 31.5 | 4.3% | 36.9% | 11.9% | 1978 | $1,063 | 42.3% | 97.8% | 2.0% |
| Bushnell | 2.86 | 43.9 | 7.6% | 14.6% | 4.8% | 1960 | $840 | 27.9% | 94.3% | 0.0% |
| White | 2.26 | 46.7 | 4.7% | 15.6% | 6.9% | 1970 | $721 | 27.4% | 95.7% | 1.2% |
| Bruce | 2.23 | 49.7 | 5.9% | 15.4% | 22.8% | 1976 | $838 | 24.9% | 98.0% | 2.0% |
| Nunda | 2.40 | 37.5 | 1.1% | 7.9% | 9.6% | 1963 | $1,260 | 38.3% | 95.0% | 1.4% |
| Rutland | 2.42 | 35.5 | 0.7% | 6.5% | 4.6% | 1974 | $1,397 | 39.6% | 95.8% | 0.2% |
| Sinai | 2.34 | 39.7 | 6.4% | 18.8% | 19.5% | 1975 | $826 | 29.2% | 96.1% | 3.5% |
| Elkton | 2.66 | 33.8 | 11.6% | 31.7% | 5.1% | 1976 | $1,034 | 26.7% | 87.7% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Vienna, VA · Burlington, KY · West Whittier-Los Nietos, CA · Caledonia, WI · West Memphis, AR · West Hempstead, NY · Canandaigua, NY · Canby, OR · Canton, MA · Carteret, NJ
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Brookings. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.