Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Brookings, SD

    Is Brookings a good place to live?

    Watch Brookings

    Brookings ranks #3 of 4 South Dakota cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (42/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.8% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $243,600
    +9.7% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $862
    per month
    Household income
    $61,979
    median
    Unemployment
    4.4%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Brookings

    The median home value in Brookings is $243,600 and median rent is $862 a month, against a median household income of $61,979. Homes cost about 3.9× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Brookings crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across South Dakota the 2025 rate was 327 violent and 1,430 property crimes per 100,000 people — #26 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Brookings, SD

    Brookings has about 23,710 residents, 4.4% unemployment and 32% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Brookings with

    Brookings vs Sioux FallsBrookings vs Rapid CityBrookings vs Aberdeen

    More: Where to move in South Dakota · Best counties in South Dakota

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report