Brookings County, South Dakota Demographics 2026

Name: Brookings County, South Dakota Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Brookings County, South Dakota has a population of 35,353, the 5th most populous county in South Dakota. The median household income is $70,064 and the median home value is $264,600. The poverty rate is 13.2%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Brookings County Quick Facts

Population 35,353

Median Household Income $70,064

Median Home Value $264,600

Poverty Rate 13.2%

Unemployment Rate 3.8%

Median Age 28.0 years

Homeownership Rate 57.2%

Affordability Ratio 3.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 42.5%

High School Graduation 97.1%

Cities/Places 10

Population 35,353 5th of 66

Median Income $70,064 7% lower than state

Poverty Rate 13.2%

Unemployment 3.8%

How Brookings County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	34,968	35,353	+1.1%
Median household income	$67,341	$70,064	+4.0%
Median home value	$246,300	$264,600	+7.4%

Median Household Income

Brookings

$70,064

$75,081

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Brookings

$264,600

$257,400

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 15.8%

$25K-$50K 18.3%

$50K-$100K 29.7%

$100K+ 36.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.4%

$10K-$15K

3.7%

$15K-$20K

3.9%

$20K-$25K

4.8%

$25K-$30K

2.5%

$30K-$35K

3.1%

$35K-$40K

4.9%

$40K-$45K

3.7%

$45K-$50K

4.1%

$50K-$60K

8.3%

$60K-$75K

10.5%

$75K-$100K

10.9%

$100K-$125K

12.6%

$125K-$150K

8.4%

$150K-$200K

9.3%

$200K+

5.9%

Employment

3.8% Unemployment Rate State: 2.9%|National: 5.2%

69.0% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 57.2%

Renter 42.8%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $901/mo 15.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.1%

18-34

37.4%

35-54

19.3%

55-74

16.7%

75+

5.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 35 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Brookings County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Brookings	23,948	$63,493	16.9%	$265,500
Volga	2,408	$78,828	6.1%	$240,000
Aurora	1,444	$95,952	2.7%	$234,600
Elkton	977	$69,688	26.7%	$185,100
Arlington	920	$71,296	19.1%	$144,300
White	484	$67,639	4.1%	$128,800
Lake Poinsett	348	$96,875	5.2%	$493,200
Bruce	290	$55,000	6.2%	$114,100
Sinai	215	$56,875	1.9%	$89,300
Bushnell	66	N/A	7.6%	$90,000

Explore South Dakota Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Brookings County is located in South Dakota with a total population of 35,353. It is the 5th most populous county out of 66 in South Dakota. The county encompasses 10 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Brookings County is 28.0 years. This is 26% lower than the state median of 38.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Brookings County is $70,064. This is 7% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 13% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.2%. This is 10% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The unemployment rate is 3.8%. This is 28% higher than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $264,600. Housing costs are 3% higher than the state median of $257,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.8x. 57.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% lower than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Brookings County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.5% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.5%. The Black or African American population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 2.1%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (3.3% vs 1.4%).

Education

42.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Brookings County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 33% higher than the state rate of 31.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 97.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Brookings County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against South Dakota and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Brookings County, South Dakota?

Brookings County has a population of 35,353, making it the 5th most populous county in South Dakota.

What is the median income in Brookings County?

The median household income in Brookings County is $70,064 with a poverty rate of 13.2%.

How many cities are in Brookings County, South Dakota?

Brookings County contains 10 Census-designated places.