† Citizen voting-age population estimated for prior cycles; 2004 predates the ACS and is extrapolated. Source: ACS 5-year, table B05003.
——
D+60R+60
20042024
Boundary by 2024 margin · Precinct returns · VEST · MIT Election Lab
People and households
Who lives here
Exact values for this place, its state, and the United States.
Race · ethnicity · ancestry
Communities and origins
GroupBrookingsSouth DakotaUnited States
German38.1%33.1%12.5%
Norwegian14.2%10.4%—
Irish10.3%9.9%9.4%
English7.3%7.7%9.5%
Dutch4.9%3.4%—
Swedish2.4%2.5%—
Danish2.3%0.8%—
American1.5%4.4%5.3%
Asian Indian1.8%0.2%1.4%
Chinese1.1%—1.3%
Nepalese0.8%——
Filipino0.6%0.2%0.9%
Mexican1.5%2.6%11.3%
Puerto Rican1.4%0.4%1.8%
Guatemalan0.5%0.5%0.5%
Honduran0.3%—0.3%
Colombian0.3%—0.4%
Ethiopian0.7%0.3%—
African American†0.2%1.1%9.9%
Hispanic or Latino counts residents of any race; the race groups count only their non-Hispanic residents, so the groups are mutually exclusive and sum to 100%. Expand a row to see ancestries reported within that group.
Age and life stage
Measure
Brookings
South Dakota
United States
Median age
24.7
38.2
39.1
Age 18–24
32.2%
9.2%
9.2%
Age 65 and older
12.0%
18.0%
17.2%
Household economy
Measure
Brookings
South Dakota
United States
Median household income
$63,493
$75,081
$84,427
Poverty rate
16.9%
12.0%
12.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher (25+)
47.5%
31.9%
35.6%
Languages at home
Measure
Brookings
South Dakota
United States
Speaks a non-English language at home
11.4%
7.1%
22.3%
Spanish
3.4%
2.6%
13.6%
German or other West Germanic
1.0%
0.8%
0.5%
Russian, Polish, or other Slavic
1.4%
0.4%
0.7%
Other Indo-European
2.6%
0.4%
2.0%
Religious landscape
Measure
Brookings
South Dakota
United States
Catholic
—
14.8%
18.6%
Evangelical Protestant
—
20.1%
16.5%
Unclaimed / not counted
—
44.9%
51.5%
American Community Survey 2024 5-year (CVAP, income, age, poverty, education, language, race, ancestry) · presidential returns from MIT Election Lab through 2024 · 2020 U.S. Religion Census (ASARB) — congregational adherents; unclaimed is the residual not counted by congregations.
Brookings, South Dakota
presidential history
Presidential margin, 2004–2024
Democratic minus Republican, by election
Presidential margin over time
Year
Margin (D minus R)
2004
−9.2%
2008
+13.1%
2012
+4.4%
2016
−8.1%
2020
−4.9%
2024
−17.4%
DemocraticRepublican
6 presidential elections
Third column names the leading third-party or independent finisher. Source · MIT Election Lab · ICPSR · VEST (precinct-level 2024). Swing · margin change from the prior cycle. vs U.S. · margin relative to the national result that year. † 2004, 2012, 2024 sub-county results are estimated: the source's block-level detail for these cycles was unreliable — either county/municipality-level consolidated reporting (COVID-era) or a precinct-to-block allocation that misplaced votes — so the figures are allocated from the constituent county totals in proportion to the place and scaled to certified totals.
Year
Won
Democratic
Republican
Other
Margin
Swing
vs U.S.
Total
R
40.0%Harris4,049
57.4%Trump5,809
2.6%
R+17.4
R+12.5
R+15.9
10,120
R
45.9%Biden4,178
50.8%Trump4,627
3.3%
R+4.9
D+3.2
R+9.4
9,109
R
41.6%Clinton3,188
49.7%Trump3,808
8.7%
R+8.1
R+12.5
R+10.2
7,663
D
51.1%Obama3,933
46.7%Romney3,597
2.2%
D+4.4
R+8.7
D+0.5
7,698
D
55.4%Obama4,979
42.4%McCain3,805
2.2%
D+13.1
D+22.3
D+5.8
8,984
R
44.9%Kerry3,774
54.1%Bush4,546
1.0%
R+9.2
—
R+6.7
8,401
Brookings anchors South Dakota State University's campus and research corridor, giving it a younger, more transient electorate than the surrounding agricultural counties — a demographic mix that historically softens Republican margins in local races.
Across the recorded series it reached a Democratic high of 13.1 points in 2008 and a Republican high of 17.4 points in 2024. Between 2020 and 2024 the city moved 12.5 points toward the Republican candidate; the 2024 margin was 17.4 points.
A population of 23,948, a 86% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $63,493 describe the city. The city's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Kirksville and Grand Forks.
Akashic
Political twins — cities
The cities whose fingerprint — 2000–2024 trajectory, demographics, ancestry, religion — sits closest to this one, and why.
Twin score (0–100) = weighted cosine between tier-standardized fingerprints: presidential margins 2000–2024 with 12-yr trend and elasticity, ACS income, age, education, population and race, top reported ancestries, and religious adherence — chips name the closest-shared dimensions and the widest gap. Re-weight the groups in the twins explorer.
In 2024, Brookings, South Dakota voted Republican by 17.4 points (R+17.4), carried by the Republican candidate. Out of 10,120 votes cast, 4,049 went Democratic and 5,809 went Republican.
When did Brookings, South Dakota last vote Democratic?
The most recent presidential election in which Brookings, South Dakota voted Democratic was 2012.
How many people live in Brookings, South Dakota?
Brookings, South Dakota has a population of 23,948 according to the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates from the US Census Bureau.
What is the median household income in Brookings, South Dakota?
Median household income in Brookings, South Dakota is $63,493 — below the national median of $80,734. The South Dakota state median is $75,081.
What is the political history of Brookings, South Dakota?
Akashic tracks 6 presidential elections in Brookings, South Dakota from 2004 to 2024. Of those, 2 went Democratic and 4 went Republican.
