Small-town market profile · South Dakota
Brookings, SD area market data
How the Brookings area compares with other small-town markets for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 37,635
- +9.6% since 2020
- Households
- 13,798
- Median household income
- $70,064
- +20.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $264,600
- Jobs located here
- 19,000
- Highest market score
- 86
- Primary care and pediatrics, #10 of 458 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Brookings area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Brookings area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Brookings area has an estimated 37,635 people and 13,798 households. Population estimates show the Brookings area grew 9.6% from 2020 to 2025, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in the Brookings area is $70,064, 13% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 20.5%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Brookings area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 122, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (65).
Of the business types scored in the Brookings area, primary care and pediatric clinics (86), bakeries and dessert shops (81) and convenience stores (81) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For primary care and pediatric clinics, that ranks #10 of 458 scored small-town markets.
The Brookings area is made up of one county, Brookings County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for chiropractors (2.4 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for salons, barbers and spas (39% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Brookings area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Brookings area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary care and pediatrics | 86 | #10 of 458 | 8 | 5.8 | $2.3M | 132 | 7 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 81 | #10 of 507 | 8 | 5.8 | $6.5M | 156 | 6 |
| Convenience stores | 81 | #21 of 529 | 11 | 8.0 | $7.4M | 94 | Under 3 |
| Grocery stores | 80 | #27 of 506 | 8 | 5.8 | $10.2M | 110 | Under 3 |
| Auto repair and car care | 79 | #28 of 538 | 49 | 35.5 | $330K | 123 | 23 |
| Car washes and detailing | 78 | #25 of 441 | 7 | 5.1 | $2.3M | 92 | Under 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 76 | #37 of 538 | 29 | 21.0 | $2.8M | 83 | Under 3 |
| Gas stations | 73 | #63 of 536 | 20 | 14.5 | $2.1M | 87 | 17 |
| Hair salons | 71 | #47 of 538 | 22 | 15.9 | $601K | 140 | 10 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 71 | #82 of 538 | 88 | 63.8 | $214K | 140 | 38 |
| Nail salons | 70 | #67 of 387 | 7 | 5.1 | $1.9M | 113 | Under 3 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 68 | #63 of 538 | 40 | 29.0 | $331K | 155 | 19 |
| Auto repair shops | 68 | #89 of 538 | 33 | 23.9 | $490K | 110 | 21 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 65 | #114 of 538 | 77 | 55.8 | $673K | 101 | 24 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 64 | #145 of 537 | 18 | 13.0 | $2.9M | 94 | 30 |
| Spas and skin care | 60 | #145 of 504 | 10 | 7.2 | $1.3M | 151 | 5 |
| Gyms | 60 | #149 of 506 | 10 | 7.2 | $1.1M | 87 | 5 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 60 | #187 of 536 | 36 | 26.1 | $728K | 83 | 7 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 59 | #152 of 476 | 8 | 5.8 | $4.5M | 94 | 15 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 59 | #195 of 536 | 28 | 20.3 | $936K | 74 | 7 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 58 | #130 of 387 | 6 | 4.3 | $2.7M | 87 | 8 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 58 | #197 of 526 | 15 | 10.9 | $1.3M | 127 | 13 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 57 | #144 of 387 | 6 | 4.3 | $1.9M | 73 | 5 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 56 | #206 of 538 | 160 | 116.0 | $324K | 87 | 60 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 54 | #156 of 378 | 6 | 4.3 | $1.9M | 93 | 9 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 54 | #226 of 529 | 24 | 17.4 | $2.2M | 58 | 6 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 52 | #216 of 481 | 10 | 7.2 | $1.6M | 98 | 24 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 51 | #275 of 535 | 19 | 13.8 | $595K | 90 | 14 |
| Property management | 48 | #99 of 180 | 6 | 4.3 | Index only | 56 | 4 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 48 | #228 of 400 | 8 | 5.8 | $2.3M | 75 | 7 |
| Pet businesses | 48 | #308 of 527 | 19 | 13.8 | $589K | 67 | 13 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 47 | #220 of 399 | 8 | 5.8 | $2.1M | 70 | 15 |
| Home repair trades | 46 | #317 of 526 | 19 | 13.8 | $1.9M | 78 | 34 |
| Pizza | 42 | #338 of 520 | 23 | 16.7 | $2.3M | 44 | 30 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 40 | #388 of 533 | 33 | 23.9 | Index only | 104 | 13 |
| Real estate | 39 | #404 of 536 | 45 | 32.6 | Index only | 96 | 21 |
| Electricians | 38 | #223 of 295 | 7 | 5.1 | $5.1M | 43 | 16 |
| Veterinarians | 38 | #288 of 398 | 9 | 6.5 | $1.2M | 46 | 8 |
| Chiropractors | 38 | #312 of 426 | 18 | 13.0 | $1M | 44 | 11 |
| Child care and preschools | 37 | #341 of 454 | 11 | 8.0 | $470K | 47 | 15 |
| Insurance agencies | 37 | #387 of 537 | 28 | 20.3 | $898K | 72 | 18 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.9 | Index only | 120 | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.9 | $4.7M | 196 | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.9 | $9M | 106 | 3 |
| Funeral homes | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.2 | $514K | 76 | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.2 | $5.4M | 215 | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.2 | $3.8M | 93 | 5 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $8.2M | Too few | 9 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $13.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $5.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $13.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $26.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $16.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Brookings area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $16.2M | $1,172 | 122 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $41.4M | $3,004 | 116 |
| Food away from home | $51.8M | $3,756 | 92 |
| Groceries | $81.8M | $5,931 | 94 |
| Personal care products and services | $13.2M | $959 | 95 |
| Child care and other personal services | $5.2M | $375 | 65 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $11.3M | $819 | 83 |
| Medical and dental services | $18.8M | $1,362 | 106 |
| Pets | $11.2M | $811 | 89 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $26.2M | $1,900 | 92 |
| Vehicle insurance | $25.1M | $1,823 | 93 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $35.9M | $2,603 | 86 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $16.4M | $1,191 | 84 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $187.9M | $13,617 | 82 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Brookings area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 37,635+9.6% since 2020
- Households
- 13,798
- Median age
- 31.9
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 57%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.1
- Land area
- 792 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 45
- Median household income
- $70,064+20.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $89,400
- Median home value
- $264,600
- Jobs located here
- 19,000
- Daytime population
- 37,385Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Brookings area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Brookings area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Brookings area 1
- Brookings County, SD35,353 people
Other markets based in South Dakota 10
- Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area298,181 people
- Rapid City, SD metro area152,950 people
- Aberdeen, SD area41,925 people
- Watertown, SD area28,767 people
- Spearfish, SD area27,233 people
- Mitchell, SD area25,808 people
- Yankton, SD area23,414 people
- Pierre, SD area20,679 people
- Huron, SD area19,309 people
- Vermillion, SD area15,219 people
Questions
How fast is the Brookings, SD area growing?
Population estimates put the Brookings area at 37,635 people in 2025, up 9.6% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 13,798 households. Median household income rose 20.5% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in the Brookings, SD area spend?
Households in the Brookings area spend about $187.9M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $81.8M on groceries and $51.8M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Brookings area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 122, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (65).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Brookings, SD area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Brookings area are for primary care and pediatric clinics (86), bakeries and dessert shops (81) and convenience stores (81). The Brookings area ranks #10 of 458 scored small-town markets for primary care and pediatric clinics.
How does the Brookings, SD area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Brookings area is $70,064 a year, 13% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 9.6% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $264,600, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Brookings area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for chiropractors (2.4 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for salons, barbers and spas (39% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 41 of the 56 business types have a score in the Brookings area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Brookings area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Brookings area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Brookings area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.