Brookings, SD

Census place 4607580 · pop 23,948

C63/ 100
😐 Meh
C
in SD
📍 South Dakota ranks #3 of 50 states →
🏆 Jobs2.2% · top 1%
🚽 Own47.7% · bottom 12%
Taxes
1.17% property · US 0.99%6.11% sales · US 7.00%None income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Homeownership47.7%12

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

47.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Population growth (5yr)-0.7%25

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-0.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Poverty rate16.9%27

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

16.9% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Median household income$63,49334

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$63,493 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Property-tax burden1.17%41

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.17% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Adult obesity35.9%43

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

35.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Broadband access91.1%46

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

91.1% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Poor mental health17.2%49

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

17.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level2 days51

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

2 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Housing cost$265,50053

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$265,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Income inequality0.4355

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level76/10068

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

76/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Uninsured adults7.8%68

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

7.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Adult smoking10.8%74

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

10.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Bachelor's degree or higher47.5%79

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

47.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Physical inactivity18.7%84

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

18.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Air quality (AQI)County-level36 AQI86

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

36 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$1,165/mo90

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,165/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Commute time13 min99

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

13 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Unemployment rateCounty-level2.2%99

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

2.2% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Not measured for Brookings: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Brookings, SD a good place to live?
By the numbers, Brookings scores 63/100 — a C (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unemployment rate and its weakest is homeownership. South Dakota overall ranks #3 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Brookings, SD expensive to live in?
Brookings has a median home value of $265,500 and typical rent around $1,165/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Brookings, SD?
Its weakest measured area is homeownership (47.7%) — 12/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Brookings, SD best at?
Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (2.2%) — 99/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.