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City · 23,948 residents · Brookings County, South Dakota

Brookings , South Dakota

In Brookings, a typical home is worth $265,500 and typical rent is $889 a month. Compared with all of Brookings County, typical household income is 9% lower and the share of households that own their home is 10 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $265,500

    About the same as the county

    3% above South Dakota

    • Brookings
    • County
    • South Dakota

  • Typical rent

    $889a month

    About the same as the county

    6% below South Dakota

    • Brookings
    • County
    • South Dakota

  • Typical household income

    $63,493a year

    9% below the county

    15% below South Dakota

    • Brookings
    • County
    • South Dakota

  • Households that own their home

    48%

    10 points below the county

    21 points below South Dakota

    • Brookings
    • County
    • South Dakota

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$325,663
5.4% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,286 a month
9.7% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Brookings is in Brookings County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Brookings County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Brookings apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Madison, the typical home value is $193,100: 27% less than in Brookings ($265,500).

  2. Brookings has the 2nd lowest homeownership rate of the 19 cities in South Dakota with more than 5,000 people (48%).

  3. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Brookings rose 5.4%; in South Dakota, it rose 2.3%.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Brookings

What homes there are in Brookings, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Homes in Brookings are varied: detached houses are the largest group, at 46%, against 58% in Brookings County.

Year built

There are fewer big homes in Brookings than in Brookings County: 55% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 61%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

About 95% of owner-occupied homes in Brookings are worth less than the FHA loan limit for Brookings County ($541,287).

Monthly rent with utilities

About 60% of rented homes in Brookings cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for Brookings County ($1,066); the rest cost more.

With a mortgage

$1,759 a month

Brookings County: $1,735 a month

Without a mortgage

$686 a month

Brookings County: $695 a month

Owners with a mortgage

61%

Brookings County: 56%

In Brookings, 61% of owners have a mortgage; their typical cost is $1,759 a month, about the same as in Brookings County.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, home values in Brookings rose at about the same pace as in Brookings County: 47% against 48%.

Rents in Brookings rose at about the same pace as in Brookings County: 18% since 2015–2019, against 20%.

To compare: typical income in Brookings rose 18%; the home, +47%; the rent, +18%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureBrookingsBrookings CountySouth DakotaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate5.0%6.0%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.262.332.392.53
Drive alone 73%74%77%69%
Carpool 10%9%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike 6%5%3%3%
Work from home 10%11%10%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes

By size, households in Brookings look like those in Brookings County: 2.26 people on average.

To get to work, 73% of workers in Brookings drive alone; in Brookings County, 74%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Brookings?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Brookings, worth $265,500, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 43% of the typical household income in Brookings, which is $63,493 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $96,554 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Brookings County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Brookings. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $9,293 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,253

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$260,691
Total interest
$375,073
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,484 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,482 a month

  • Tight

    $1,482 to $1,905 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,905 a month

    Your payment · 43%

Compared with the typical household income in Brookings ($63,493 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,253
Principal & interest$1,766
Property tax$259
Home insurance$111
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$117

You need at least $9,293 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Brookings and Brookings County

Brookings is in Brookings County, South Dakota. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Brookings's own numbers

Typical home value
$265,500
Typical monthly rent
$889
Typical yearly household income
$63,493
Households that own their home
48%
Effective property tax rate
1.17%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Brookings County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,066
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+45%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
5.2%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Brookings County.

Everything about Brookings County

Buying

Buying a home in Brookings

A typical home in Brookings is worth $265,500: about the same as the county and 3% above South Dakota. With the typical household income in Brookings ($63,493 a year), a typical home costs 4.2 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Brookings 4.2 years
  • County 3.8 years
  • South Dakota 3.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Brookings County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Brookings County rose 71% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Brookings County.

Period County South Dakota U.S.
Last year (2025) +1.1% +3.1% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +45% +50% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +71% +85% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Brookings next to Brookings County, South Dakota and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Brookings $265,500
  • County $264,600
  • South Dakota $257,400
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Brookings $889
  • County $901
  • South Dakota $946
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Brookings $63,493
  • County $70,064
  • South Dakota $75,081
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Brookings next to Brookings County and South Dakota
Measure Brookings Brookings County South Dakota U.S.
Typical home value $265,500 $264,600 $257,400 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $889 $901 $946 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $63,493 $70,064 $75,081 $80,734
Households that own their home 48% 57% 69% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,097 $2,981 $2,724 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.17% 1.13% 1.06% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 41% 38% 40% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Brookings County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Brookings

For a typical $265,500 home in Brookings, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Brookings's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,253a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $9,293
    Cash to close
    $17,258
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $117

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,204a month

    Down payment
    $13,275
    Cash to close
    $21,240
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $126

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,808a month

    Down payment
    $53,100
    Cash to close
    $61,065
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,054a month

    Down payment
    $39,825
    Cash to close
    $47,790
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Brookings and for Brookings County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Brookings

1.17%of the home’s value each year

$3,097 a year for the typical owner in Brookings.

  • Brookings 1.17%
  • County 1.13%
  • South Dakota 1.06%

What South Dakota publishes Owner-occupied classification (South Dakota Department of Revenue (Owner-Occupied Classification tax fact, July 2026))

Exemptions and deadlines in South Dakota

Flood risk in Brookings County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Brookings County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
5.2%
710
Of those, with NFIP insurance
5.6%
County South Dakota U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 5.2% 2.3% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 5.6% 14% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Brookings

Typical rent in Brookings is $889 a month: about the same as the county. In Brookings, 41% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Brookings County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,066 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $20.50 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Brookings County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $853 $16.40 $34,120
1 bedroom $858 $16.50 $34,320
2 bedrooms $1,066 $20.50 $42,640
3 bedrooms $1,476 $28.38 $59,040
4 bedrooms $1,782 $34.27 $71,280

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Brookings

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Brookings has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,050 in all of them.

None is above the fair market rent for Brookings County ($1,066).

  • 57006 $1,050$1,450
  • 57007 $1,050$1,450

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Brookings when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Brookings

HUD lists 12 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Brookings. These are the largest.

  • Yorkshire Apartments 2410 Yorkshire Dr, Brookings 57006 50 low-income homes · For families (605) 692-2912
  • Arrowhead Apts 913 Onaka Trl, Brookings 57006 40 low-income homes · For older adults (605) 692-8485
  • Prairie View Townhomes 1808 12th St S, Brookings 57006 40 homes, 36 low-income · 2 bd: 20 · 3 bd: 20 · In service since 2013
  • Green Briar 500 15th St S, Brookings 57006 30 low-income homes · For families (605) 692-9551
  • Green Briar 410 15th St S, Brookings 57006 29 low-income homes · 2 bd: 27 · 3 bd: 2 · In service since 2000

See all 13 buildings in Brookings County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Brookings

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Brookings County; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

An older man and his daughter go over papers with a professional.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Brookings

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Brookings or Brookings County. The ones below are statewide in South Dakota: they work in Brookings the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in South Dakota

  • Fixed Rate Plus

    Statewide in South Dakota

    South Dakota state authority mortgage with 3% or 5% of the loan for the down payment and closing costs, as a 0% second mortgage with no payments, repaid when you sell or pay off the home. Offered by South Dakota Housing Development Authority.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • South Dakota Housing Tax Credit (MCC)

    Statewide in South Dakota

    South Dakota state authority certificate that turns part of your mortgage interest into a credit on your federal taxes, of up to $2,000 a year while you live in the home and keep the original mortgage; for first-time buyers, requested through a participating lender before closing. Offered by South Dakota Housing Development Authority.

    Tax credit

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Brookings

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Brookings, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • CCCS of LSS - South Dakota

    752 22nd Ave S, Brookings · 1 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (605) 692-9636

  • CCCS of LSS - South Dakota

    1424 9th Avenue SE, Watertown · 43 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (605) 882-2228

  • Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota - CCCS

    705 E 41st St, Sioux Falls · 55 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    (605) 330-2700

Every agency in Brookings County All counseling agencies in South Dakota

Help in Spanish near Brookings

3 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Brookings

HUD’s record names them for Brookings or Brookings County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Brookings Housing & Redevelopment Commission Section 8 vouchers (605) 692-1670

One other authority has an office in Brookings County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Brookings, with the typical home value.

Everything about Brookings County Housing in South Dakota

Neighboring counties

If Brookings County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Brookings.

All guides
A smiling girl holds up a small mushroom she found on a forest outing.

Questions

Housing questions about Brookings

Short answers with the numbers for Brookings and all of Brookings County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Brookings?

The typical home value in Brookings is $265,500, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Brookings County it is $264,600.

How much does it cost to rent in Brookings?

Typical rent in Brookings is $889 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Brookings County is $1,066.

What is the FHA loan limit in Brookings?

Brookings uses the FHA limit for all of Brookings County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Brookings?

The typical homeowner in Brookings pays $3,097 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.17% of the home’s value; in Brookings County, the rate is 1.13%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Brookings?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Brookings County. 1 says it serves in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).