With 23,948 people, Brookings is a city in South Dakota. The median age is 24.7, younger than the US median of 38.9. People stay put here: 67% were in the same home a year ago. Owners hold 48% of the housing stock. The average commute runs 13 minutes. 47% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $63,493, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 24.7
US median: 38.9
More educated
47% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 62%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Brookings
What changed most since 1990
White share96.7% → 86.2%(−10.5 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median home value (2024 dollars)$133,444 → $265,500(+99%)US over the same years: +67%
Hispanic share0.3% → 4.2%(+3.9 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)15.8%(117)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)10.1%(75)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era49.5%(367)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War6.2%(46)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 742 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Brookings, decade by decade
Brookings population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
16,270
$48,443
$133,444
34.7%
8.1
2000
18,504
$56,956
$163,585
37.9%
11.8
2010
22,056
$56,684
$202,982
45.5%
20.6
2020
23,377
$65,262
$226,772
48.5%
34.5
2024
23,948
$63,493
$265,500
47.5%
31.4
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
