Cost of Living in Brookings County, South Dakota
At a Glance
Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)
These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.
How Brookings County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Brookings County ranks #2,134 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 32%)
Sourced county brief
Brookings County median home value exceeds state unweighted mean
Brookings County's median home value is $264,600, which is $83,579 above the South Dakota unweighted county mean of $181,021. The median gross rent in the county is $901 per month, exceeding the state unweighted county mean of $785. For owner-occupied units, the median selected monthly owner cost is $1,151, while the state unweighted county mean is $853. The official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) is 24.2%. This canonical rentToIncomePct is 1.5 percentage points higher than the state unweighted county mean official GRAPI of 22.7%. The median renter-household income was recorded at $47,102. This report uses data from ACS tables B25064, B25071, B25077, B25088, and B25119 from the 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. The dataVersion for this snapshot is acs5-2020-2024 and the methodologyVersion is cost-brief-v1, last reviewed on 2026-07-10. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.
Source record
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25064 Median Gross Rent
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25071 GRAPI
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25077 Median Home Value
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25088 Selected Monthly Owner Costs
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25119 Household Income by Tenure
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-brief-v1
Cost of Living Advisory: Brookings County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 24.2% of renter household income in Brookings County, which is below the 30% affordability benchmark. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.
Rent vs. Own
Median gross rent is $901 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,151. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $36,040 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.
Regional Context
The South Dakota unweighted mean of county median rents is $785 per month. Brookings County's $901 median is 14.8% above that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Brookings County
Rent Burden
15.4%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$1,635
per month
Owner Cost Burden
19.7%
of gross income
The median home in Brookings County may be a stretch
Median home value is $264,600. Estimated monthly cost: $2,112 vs. your max of $1,635.
Rent Affordability Guide
Income Needed Calculator
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Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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See Today's RatesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.
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