Best Life Index › States › South Dakota › Cities › Brookings

South Dakota city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Brookings?

What it costs to live in Brookings, and how it compares with other South Dakota cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

30

6th best value in South Dakota

How much you get for what you pay, versus other South Dakota cities.

Overall livability

55

3rd overall in South Dakota

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Brookings is home to about 23,432 people. A typical home runs $198,000 and a household earns around $54,700, a price-to-income ratio of 3.6. Among South Dakota's cities, it ranks 6th for value and 3rd overall.

Brookings at a glance

Median home price

$198,000

7th in SD of 7

Median rent

$806/mo

Median household income

$54,700

Home price to income

3.6x

Unemployment

5.1%

7th in SD of 7

School rating

4/10

3rd in SD of 7

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in SD of 7

Walk score

1/100

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‹ See all top South Dakota cities ranked  ยท  South Dakota state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within South Dakota only. Updated 2026.