Brookings, SD

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

2024 Population

35,353

US Senator

John Thune

Republican Party

US Senator

Mike Rounds

Republican Party

US Representative

Dusty Johnson

Republican Party

2024 Poverty Rate

13.2%

2.62% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

Population & Diversity

Brookings, SD is home to a population of 35.4k people, from which 95.5% are citizens.

As of 2024, 6.1% of Brookings, SD residents were born outside of the country (2.16k people).

In 2024, there were 26.7 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (30.9k people) in Brookings, SD than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.16k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 821 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.5%

2024 Citizenship

96.2%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 95.5% of Brookings, SD residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Brookings, SD was 96.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Brookings, SD compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Brookings, SD

White (Non-Hispanic)
30.9k ± 106
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
1.16k ± 104
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
821 ± 179

4.55%

Hispanic Population

1.61k people

4.55% of the people in Brookings, SD are hispanic (1.61k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Brookings, SD as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for South Dakota.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,429 ± 1,435 people
Guatemala
2,883 ± 1,316 people
Ethiopia
2,826 ± 1,303 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Dakota was Mexico, the natal country of 3,429 South Dakota residents, followed by Guatemala with 2,883 and Ethiopia with 2,826.

Foreign-Born Population

6.1%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

2.16k people

5.52%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.93k people

As of 2024, 6.1% of Brookings, SD residents (2.16k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Brookings, SD was 5.52%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Brookings, SD compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
525 ± 157
Gulf War (2001-)
258 ± 113
Gulf War (1990s)
158 ± 81

Brookings, SD has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.03 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Brookings, SD.

Economy

The economy of Brookings, SD employs 19.1k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Brookings, SD were Manufacturing (4,000 people), Educational Services (3,249 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (1,944 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($118,798), Wholesale Trade ($59,191), and Public Administration ($56,289).

Employment

Occupations

19.1k

2024 Value

± 1,032

−0.021%

1 Year decline

± 7.57%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Brookings, SD declined at a rate of −0.021%, from 19.1k employees to 19.1k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Brookings, SD, are Management Occupations (2,173 people), Production Occupations (2,089 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,775 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Brookings, SD.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Dakota.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in South Dakota (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

19.1k

2024 Value

± 1,032

−0.021%

1 Year decline

± 7.57%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Brookings, SD declined at a rate of −0.021%, from 19.1k employees to 19.1k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Brookings, SD, are Manufacturing (4,000 people), Educational Services (3,249 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (1,944 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Brookings, SD, though some of these residents may live in Brookings, SD and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$47,908

Median earning men ± $2,845

$34,268

Median earning women ± $3,405

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($66,623), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($65,833), and Manufacturing ($60,343).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($63,000), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($53,229), and Construction ($52,708).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Dakota.

Y-Axis

2.37%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 450k people employed in South Dakota. This represents a 2.37% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 8.96%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in South Dakota.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

74
Construction
62
Other Services (except Public Administration)
44
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$316k
Manufacturing
$63.2k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$51k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in South Dakota went to Donald J. Trump with 63.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.2%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.68%).

John Thune and Mike Rounds are the senators currently representing the state of South Dakota. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Brookings, SD is currently represented by Dusty Johnson in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Brookings, SD. Showing the available data for South Dakota.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (63.4%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (34.2%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (1.68%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in South Dakota went to Donald J. Trump with 63.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.2%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.68%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in South Dakota for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from South Dakota

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for South Dakota.

John Thune

Senator from South Dakota

Assumed office on January 3, 2005

Mike Rounds

Senator from South Dakota

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

John Thune and Mike Rounds are the senators currently representing South Dakota.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in South Dakota over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Brookings, SD

Dusty Johnson

District at-large Representative

Republican Party

Brookings, SD is currently represented by Dusty Johnson (Republican Party).

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the member for Brookings, SD have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

The student population of Brookings, SD in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 5,309 male students and 6,747 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Brookings, SD are White (2,266 and 90.2%), Hispanic or Latino (72 and 2.87%), Two or More Races (42 and 1.67%), and Asian (39 and 1.55%).

The largest universities in Brookings, SD by number of degrees awarded are South Dakota State University (2,679 and 99.4%) and Institute of Lutheran Theology (17 and 0.631%).

The most popular majors in Brookings, SD are Registered Nursing (354 and 13.1%), Business & Managerial Economics (155 and 5.75%), and General Studies (97 and 3.6%).

The median tuition costs are $12,800 for private four year colleges, and $7,773 and $11,283 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2024 in Brookings, SD, the percentage of applicants admitted was 98.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 34.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 12,056 (44% men and 56% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2024 there were 12,056 students enrolled in Brookings, SD, 44% men and 56% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 9,749 records, of which 56.8% were women and 43.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
315 degrees awarded
Business & Managerial Economics
155 degrees awarded
General Psychology
77 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Brookings, SD was Registered Nursing with 315 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Brookings, SD according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

South Dakota State University
2,679 degrees awarded
Institute of Lutheran Theology
17 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was South Dakota State University with 2,679 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 1,133 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Brookings, SD, which is 0.725 times less than the 1,563 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 2,266 degrees mean that there were 31.5 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 72 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($12,800) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,526) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,200) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Brookings, SD was $264,600 in 2024, which is 0.795 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $246,300 to $264,600, a 7.43% increase. The homeownership rate in Brookings, SD is 57.2%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Brookings, SD have an average commute time of 14.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Brookings, SD is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$264,600

Median Property Value 2024

±$11,840

$7,896

Median Property Taxes

±$573

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Brookings, SD the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Brookings, SD compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

57.2%

Homeownership

2024

64.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 57.2% of the housing units in Brookings, SD were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 58.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Brookings, SD compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$70,064

Median Household Income

± $6,292

13.8k

Number of Households

± 891

In 2024, the median household income of the 13.8k households in Brookings, SD grew to $70,064 from the previous year's value of $67,341.

The following chart displays the households in Brookings, SD distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $100k - $125k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Brookings, SD is from South Dakota.

0.44

2024 Wage GINI in South Dakota

0.443

2023 Wage GINI in South Dakota

In 2024, the income inequality in South Dakota was 0.44 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.642% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for South Dakota was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in South Dakota in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in South Dakota across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (73.9%)
Worked At Home (11.1%)
Carpooled (9.25%)

In 2024, 73.9% of workers in Brookings, SD drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.1%) and those who carpooled to work (9.25%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

14.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Brookings, SD have a shorter commute time (14.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 0.805% of the workforce in Brookings, SD have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Brookings, SD compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Brookings, SD distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Brookings, SD have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

13.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Brookings, SD (4.24k out of 32.2k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Brookings, SD is White, followed by Hispanic and Other.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798, followed by New York (5,087).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

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