Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 468.
No town among the 36 in South Dakota we compare has a higher owner-occupancy rate than Brookings Township. Vostad Farm is on the National Register of Historic Places. Brookings Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 1,518 in 1890, 23,377 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 2 maps from 1964 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →Who provides power, water and the rest in Brookings Township, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Brookings Township.
In Brookings Township, the typical journey to work is 14 minutes, below both the South Dakota town median (17 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Jobs based in Brookings Township grew to 71 in 2023, 45 more than in 2013. Among residents locally, 4.9% live below the poverty line. Half of commuters travel less than 5 miles.
| Brookings Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 0.6% | 29% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 14 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Among 36 South Dakota towns, just 3 have a lower typical July afternoon high than Brookings Township.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected losses in Brookings Township break down as 30% from inland flooding and 28% from tornadoes. FEMA expects less storm and flood damage here than in 65% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The share of adults in Brookings Township who have obesity: 37%. The town does better than the South Dakota average on 12 of 26 CDC measures and worse on 2. 21% of Brookings Township adults binge drink, against 19% in South Dakota’s towns and 16% across U.S. towns. In Brookings Township, 26% of adults have high blood pressure, and 10% report frequent physical distress.
| Brookings Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 19% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 31% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 12% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 76% | 79% |
| What stands out | Brookings Township | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 5% | 6.8% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 19.1% | 25.8% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 71.6% | 75.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Walkers can cover 0.7 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. Parks and preserves in Brookings Township: one, of 2 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Douglas Chittick Community Gardens | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
2 within 15 miles of the center of Brookings Township
About 6 of every 100 Brookings Township residents are enrolled in college, about the same as South Dakota.
Where Brookings Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Brookings Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.