The Town FilesBrookings, South Dakota
City in Brookings County · population 23,377 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $265,500
- Household income
- $63,493
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 24.7
Brookings is a city of 23,377 people in Brookings County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $265,500, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks more of a college town than 100% of South Dakota towns, better for young professionals than 99% of South Dakota towns, more vibrant than 99% of South Dakota towns.
How Brookings ranks
Percentile among South Dakota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of South Dakota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brookings is worth $265,500, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $63,493, which is more affordable than 10% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $889 a month. 47.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brookings | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $265,500 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $889 | $785 |
| Median household income | $63,493 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 47.7% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.9% | — |
Who lives in Brookings
| People | Brookings | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 24.7 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.1% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 18.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.5% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.9% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 3.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.4% | — |
| Work from home | 10.4% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 12.5 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.1% | 86.7% |
Weather in Brookings
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 3.5°F. About 25.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 35.8 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 177 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brookings since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 21, 1961 about 3.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 23, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 52 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 18, 2012.
Severe weather in Brookings County since 1996
Brookings County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 27, 2023 | Winter Storm | DR-4689: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| June 29, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4656: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3475: Covid-19 |
| November 18, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4469: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Brookings County
Brookings County had 19,246 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,994 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Brookings itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Public schools in Brookings
6 public schools with 3,446 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brookings High School - 01 | 9-12 | 1,028 | 17.4 |
| George S. Mickelson Middle School - 02 | 6-8 | 773 | 13.3 |
| Camelot Intermediate - 06 | 4-5 | 503 | 14.4 |
| Dakota Prairie Elementary - 07 | K-3 | 490 | 12.9 |
| Medary Elementary - 05 | K-3 | 336 | 12.0 |
| Hillcrest Elementary - 04 | K-3 | 316 | 12.2 |
Towns near Brookings
- Aurora, SD5.3 mi · 1,047 people · home $234,600
- Volga, SD6.8 mi · 2,113 people · home $240,000
- White, SD11.5 mi · 537 people · home $128,800
- Elkton, SD15.9 mi · 755 people · home $185,100
- Arlington, SD17.6 mi · 915 people · home $144,300
- Estelline, SD19.7 mi · 749 people · home $142,200
- Flandreau, SD20.1 mi · 2,372 people · home $150,400
- Colman, SD22.1 mi · 634 people · home $235,800
Brookings questions
Is Brookings, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brookings scores better for retirees than 19% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 1%. 12.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 24.7).
How much does a house cost in Brookings?
The median owner-occupied home in Brookings is valued at $265,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,493, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $889 a month.
What is the weather like in Brookings?
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 3.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.2 inches of precipitation a year and 35.8 inches of snow.
Does Brookings get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brookings since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 21, 1961. The typical South Dakota town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)