HomeSouth DakotaBrookings County
Brookings County, South Dakota: commercial real estate data.
Brookings County, South Dakota had an estimated 36,359 residents on July 1, 2024, up 5.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 34,376, across 792 square miles. County output reached $3.06 bn in 2024, 958 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 35 7(a) approvals worth $18.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Brookings County
How many people live in Brookings County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202435,353
- Households13,798
- Average household size2.56
- Median household income$70,064
- Median age28.0
- Median gross rent$901 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$264,600
- Home value to household income3.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher42.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree14.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over19,194
- Population under 187,455
- Share under 1821.1 percent
- Population 65 and over4,736
- Share 65 and over13.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6423,162
- Civilian labor force19,803
- Unemployment rate3.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over71.0 percent
- Rank by population among South Dakota counties5th of 66
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1334th of 3,222
Brookings County is the 5th largest of 66 South Dakota counties by population. A median home costs 3.8 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.1 percent against 13.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Brookings County
Is Brookings County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202436,359
- Census 2020 base population34,376
- Population change since the 2020 census base5.77 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024447
- Births, 2024372
- Deaths, 2024233
- Natural change, 2024139
- Net domestic migration, 202448
- Net international migration, 2024256
- Total net migration, 2024304
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024563
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents440th of 3,144
The county has grown 5.77 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Brookings County
Where are people moving to Brookings County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,028
- People arriving, from those returns1,747
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,018
- Net household movement10
- Adjusted gross income arriving$64.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$10.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$62,872
- Average income of a leaving household$53,598
- Largest single originMinnehaha County (108 households)
- Largest single destinationMinnehaha County (149 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnehaha County | 108 | 182 | $5.7 m |
| Codington County | 44 | 69 | $1.9 m |
| Kingsbury County | 41 | 69 | $3.9 m |
| Lincoln County | 33 | 52 | $2.1 m |
| Lake County | 21 | 27 | $1.2 m |
| Pennington County | 21 | 29 | $1.1 m |
Households arriving report $9,274 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Minnehaha County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Brookings County
What is the Brookings County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$3.06 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.90 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.7 percent
- GDP change over five years36.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the South Dakota areas BEA publishes5th of 66
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes965th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$86,606
Output grew 5.7 percent in the latest year and 36.1 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Brookings County
Employment by industry in Brookings County
- Covered employment, annual average19,246
- Establishments reporting1,382
- Average annual pay$56,994
- Average weekly wage$1,096
- Manufacturing, employment4,386
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$76,627
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,903
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$19,438
- Retail trade, employment1,843
- Retail trade, average annual pay$34,502
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,038
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$43,984
- Construction, employment958
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment751
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 4,386 | 48 | $76,627 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,903 | 93 | $19,438 |
| Retail trade | 1,843 | 114 | $34,502 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,038 | 94 | $43,984 |
| Construction | 958 | 148 | $64,298 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 751 | 196 | $77,758 |
| Wholesale trade | 650 | 100 | $93,577 |
| Other services, except public administration | 578 | 92 | $41,215 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 4,386 jobs, 22.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Brookings County
How many businesses are in Brookings County?
- Establishments, all industries958
- Employment at those establishments15,151
- Annual payroll$715.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents27.1
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Brookings County
Building permits in Brookings County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024208
- Declared construction value permitted$47.9 m
- Single family units authorized144
- Multifamily units authorized64
- Multifamily share of units30.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$230,050
- Units authorized per 1,000 households15.1
Single-family homes are 69.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Brookings County
SBA loans in Brookings County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded35
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$18.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$529,829
- Median 7(a) approval$350,000
- 10th percentile approval$24,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,070,380
- Largest single approval$3,040,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)512
- Jobs per approval14.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active14
- Distinct industries receiving approvals22
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer11.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter28
- Franchise loans9
- Franchise share of approvals25.7 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLimited-Service Restaurants (7)
- Most active lenderFirst Bank & Trust (18)
- 504 approvals recorded39
- 504 gross approval dollars$25.4 m
- Average 504 approval$651,000
- Median 504 approval$496,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval6.4
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved9.8
- Most active CDCAlly Dakota Development, Inc. (27)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$43.9 m
The average approval of $529,829 sits well above the median of $350,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 11.4 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Brookings County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Brookings County
Do SBA loans in Brookings County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded6
- Paid in full6
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure25
- Status: Paid in full6
- Status: Cancelled2
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Only 6 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Brookings County
SBA lending by place in Brookings County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Brookings, approvals31
- Volga, approvals2
- Aurora, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Brookings | 31 | $15,610,900 |
| Volga | 2 | $1,940,600 |
| Aurora | 2 | $992,500 |
Brookings accounts for 31 approvals against 2 in Volga. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Brookings County
How large is Brookings County?
- Land area792 sq mi
- Rank by land area among South Dakota counties42nd of 66
- Width, east to west33.5 mi
- Height, north to south24 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land45
- Establishments per square mile1.21
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Brookings County
Flood risk in Brookings County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Brookings County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 460253
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate66.7 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Brookings County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Brookings County (community 460253), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Brookings County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 66.7 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Brookings County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Brookings County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202435,353
- Households13,798
- Average household size2.56
- Median household income$70,064
- Median age28.0
Common questions
Brookings County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Brookings County, South Dakota?
The Census Bureau estimates 36,359 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 35,353, in 13,798 households, ranking 5th of 66 South Dakota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Brookings County's population growing?
The population has grown 5.77 percent since the 2020 census base of 34,376, to 36,359 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 372 births against 233 deaths, with net migration of 304. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Brookings County?
$70,064. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $264,600, which is 3.8 times income, and median gross rent is $901 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Brookings County?
958 establishments, employing 15,151 people with an annual payroll of $715.5 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Brookings County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 4,386 jobs, 22.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 19,246 jobs at an average annual pay of $56,994, or $1,096 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Brookings County?
35 7(a) approvals totaling $18.5 m since FY2020, across 14 lenders, with a median approval of $350,000, plus 39 504 approvals worth $25.4 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Brookings County?
208 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $47.9 m. Multifamily was 30.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Brookings County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Brookings County come from?
The largest single origin is Minnehaha County, with 108 households. Arriving households report an average income of $62,872 against $53,598 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Brookings County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Brookings County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Brookings County
Cities and places in Brookings.
13 Census places lie wholly or partly in Brookings County. 10 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked. The rest are named here and not linked, because the American Community Survey and the SBA record between them do not carry enough about them to write an honest page. A place existing is itself worth knowing, so nothing in the county is left out.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookings | city | 23,948 | 31 | Wholly in this county |
| Volga | city | 2,408 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Aurora | town | 1,444 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Elkton | city | 977 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Arlington | city | 920 | None recorded | 29.5 percent here, 70.5 percent Kingsbury County |
| White | city | 484 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Poinsett | CDP | 348 | None recorded | 6.8 percent here, 93.2 percent Hamlin County |
| Bruce | city | 290 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sinai | town | 215 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bushnell | town | 66 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Newdale Colony | CDP | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Norfeld Colony | CDP | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rolland Colony | CDP | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |