Brookings County has 34,601 residents. Of them, 24,108 full time residents live in the City of Brookings (the population increases during the SDSU school year), with Volga and Arlington, Vision Brookings Communities, being the two other population centers. Click for Volga’s Community Profile, for Arlington’s Community Profile and for Brookings County’s Community Profile.
#16
Best Performing Micropolitans In The Country (Policom, 2020)
#1
Best Cities To Live In S.D. (Chamber Of Commerce, 2019)
#1
Best College Town In S.D. (Travel Pulse, 2019)
#7
Most Arts-Vibrant Small Cities In The U.S. (SMU DataArts 2019)
Named National Micropolitan Success Story (Walton Family Foundation, 2018)
#2
Safest Cities In S.D. (Alarms.Org, 2018)
#1
Best Places To Live In S.D. (Niche, 2018, 2017, 2016)
#8
Top College Towns In America (Schools.Com, 2017)
#25
Best Cities For Entrepreneurs In America (Livability/Entrepreneur, 2017)
#2
Best School Districts In South Dakota (Niche, 2019, 2018, 2017)
#1
Safest College Town In America (Safewise, 2015)
#5
Safest City In America (ADTSecurity, 2015)
One Of 11 Communities Chosen Nationwide (And Only Non-Metro Area) For "Case Study For Positive Economic Transformation" (State Of Indiana Study, 2014)
#5
Top 10 Best Small Towns In America (Livability, 2013)
As of 2025 the population of Brookings, SD is 25,031. The population is expected to grow to 26,073 by 2030 - a growth rate of 0.82%.
The median age of Brookings, SD residents is 28.
The diversity index of Brookings, SD is 35.6, meaning that there is a 36% chance that any two people selected out of 100 residents will be of different race or ethnicity from one another.
The average household income in Brookings, SD is $81,541 and projected to be $88,199 in 2030. Per capita income is $31,922, projected to be $34,942 in 2030. 1.86% of households – 466 – have an income of $200,000 or higher. Average net worth is $502,840 and the average disposable income is $65,647.
There are 10,919 housing units in Brookings, SD; 4,909 are owner-occupied, 4,748 are rented, and 1,262 are vacant. The average home value is $308,270, with 1,861 homes built in 2010 or later, and 1,009 built in 1939 or earlier.
There are 1,110 businesses in Brookings, SD, employing 15,288 workers and pulling from a labor force of 12,780 age 16 and above. 938 workers commute into Brookings, SD from outside the county or state. Key industries for the area include:
11,692 residents both live and work in/around Brookings, SD. The average travel time is 11.8 minutes. 8.87% people have a commute of less than 5 minutes while 0.35% commute 90 minutes or more each way. Of commuters, 9,535 drive alone, 1,177 carpool, and 73 take public transportation. 710 use other modes of transport such as motorcycle, bicycle, walking, etc. 1,285 residents work from home.
2,523 members of the workforce hold a high school diploma or GED. 1,233 have associates degrees, 4,666 have bachelor’s degrees, and 2,557 hold a graduate or professional degree.
