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Brookings County
County
Brookings County Courthouse in Brookings
Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota
South Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°22′N 96°47′W / 44.37°N 96.79°W / 44.37; -96.79
Country	United States
State	South Dakota
Founded	1862 (created) July 3, 1871 (organized)
Named for	Wilmot Wood Brookings
Seat	Brookings
Largest city	Brookings
Area
• Total	805 sq mi (2,080 km)
• Land	792 sq mi (2,050 km)
• Water	13 sq mi (30 km)  1.6%
Population
• Total	34,375
• Estimate	35,980
• Density	43/sq mi (16/km)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	At-large
Website	www.brookingscountysd.gov

Brookings County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 34,375, making it the fifth most populous county in South Dakota. Its county seat is Brookings. The county was created in 1862 and organized in 1871.

Brookings County comprises the Brookings, SD Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is also the location of South Dakota State University.

History

The county was organized July 3, 1871, and was named for Wilmot Wood Brookings (1830-1905), a politician and pioneer of southeastern South Dakota. Medary was the first county seat, from 1871 to 1879, when it was moved to the city of Brookings.

Geography

Brookings County is on the east side of South Dakota. Its east boundary line abuts the west boundary line of the state of Minnesota. The Big Sioux River flows south-southeastward through the east central part of the county; its point of entry into Moody County marks Brookings County's lowest elevation: 1,568 ft (478 m) ASL.

The county terrain consists of sloped flatlands, marked by numerous lakes and ponds especially in the western part. The area is largely devoted to agricultural use. The county has a total area of 805 square miles (2,080 km), of which 782 square miles (2,030 km) is land and 13 square miles (34 km) (1.6%) is water.

Major highways

• Interstate 29
• U.S. Highway 14

• U.S. Highway 14 Bypass
• U.S. Highway 81
• South Dakota Highway 13
• South Dakota Highway 30
• South Dakota Highway 324

Airports

• Brookings Regional Airport
• Arlington Municipal Airport

Transit

• Jefferson Lines

Adjacent counties

• Deuel County – north
• Lincoln County, Minnesota – east
• Pipestone County, Minnesota – southeast
• Moody County – south
• Lake County – southwest
• Kingsbury County – west
• Hamlin County – northwest

Lakes

• Brush Lake
• Johnson Lake
• Lake Campbell
• Lake Goldsmith
• Lake Hendricks (partial)
• Lake Poinsett
• Lake Sinai
• Lake Tetonkaha
• Oak Lake
• Oakwood Lake

Protected areas

• Aurora Prairie Nature Preserve
• Black Slough State Game Production Area
• Brookings County State Game Production Area
• Brookings Prairie Park
• Dakota Nature Park
• Deer Creek State Game Production Area
• Kvernmoe Slough State Game Production Area
• Lake Hendricks State Lakeside Use Area
• Lake Poinsett State Recreation Area
• Mehegan State Game Production Area
• Moe Slough State game Production Area
• Nelson State Game Production Area
• Oak Lake State Game Production Area
• Oakwood Lake State Game Production Area
• Oakwood Lakes State Park

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 34,375 people, 13,120 households, and 7,419 families residing in the county. The population density was 43.4 inhabitants per square mile (16.8/km). There were 14,849 housing units.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 31,965 people, 12,029 households, and 6,623 families in the county. The population density was 40.3 inhabitants per square mile (15.6/km). There were 13,137 housing units at an average density of 16.6 per square mile (6.4/km). The racial makeup of the county was 93.2% white, 2.7% Asian, 0.9% American Indian, 0.8% black or African American, 0.9% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.0% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 47.9% were German, 24.3% were Norwegian, 11.9% were Irish, 6.9% were English, 6.1% were Dutch, and 2.0% were American.

Of the 12,029 households, 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 44.9% were non-families, and 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.93. The median age was 26.3 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $45,134 and the median income for a family was $63,338. Males had a median income of $40,425 versus $30,023 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,995. About 5.9% of families and 19.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Arlington (partial)
• Brookings (county seat)
• Bruce
• Elkton
• Volga
• White

Towns

• Aurora
• Bushnell
• Sinai

Census-designated places

• Lake Poinsett
• Newdale Colony
• Norfeld Colony
• Rolland Colony

Unincorporated communities

• Ahnberg
• Medary
• Sunnyview

Townships

• Afton
• Alton
• Argo
• Aurora
• Bangor
• Brookings
• Elkton
• Eureka
• Lake Hendricks
• Lake Sinai
• Laketon
• Medary
• Oaklake
• Oakwood
• Oslo
• Parnell
• Preston
• Richland
• Sherman
• Sterling
• Trenton
• Volga
• Winsor

Politics

Typical of the Great Plains, Brookings County voters are reliably Republican, even for a county with politics influenced by a college town. In only two national elections since 1932 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate. Despite being reliably Republican territory, no Republican has taken over 60% of the vote since Ronald Reagan in 1984.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Brookings County, South Dakota

References

1. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". Dakota Territory Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2006. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
4. ""Find an Elevation" Google Maps (accessed January 30, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
5. Brookings County SD Google Maps (accessed January 30, 2019)
6. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
7. Oak Lake, Brookings County, SD Google Maps (accessed January 30, 2019)
8. Aurora Prairie Google Maps (accessed January 30, 2019)
9. Brookings Prairie Google Maps (accessed January 30, 2019)
10. Dakota Nature Park Google Maps (accessed January 30, 2019)
11. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2023". Retrieved March 17, 2024.
12. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
13. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
14. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
15. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
16. "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
17. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 13, 2018.

External links

• Brookings County, SD government website

v t e Places adjacent to Brookings County, South Dakota
Hamlin County Deuel County Kingsbury County Brookings County, South Dakota Lincoln County, Minnesota Lake County Moody County Pipestone County, Minnesota

v t e Municipalities and communities of Brookings County, South Dakota, United States
County seat: Brookings
Cities	Arlington‡ Brookings Bruce Elkton Volga White
Towns	Aurora Bushnell Sinai
CDPs	Lake Poinsett‡ Newdale Colony Norfeld Colony Rolland Colony
Other communities	Ahnberg Medary
Townships	Afton Alton Argo Aurora Bangor Brookings Elkton Eureka Lake Henricks Lake Sinai Laketon Medary Oak Lake Oakwood Oslo Parnell Preston Richland Sherman Sterling Trenton Volga Winsor
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
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Regions	Badlands Black Hills Coteau des Prairies Missouri Coteau Dissected Till Plains Drift Prairie East River Pine Ridge Siouxland West River
Larger incorporated places pop. over 5,000	Aberdeen Belle Fourche Box Elder Brandon Brookings Harrisburg Huron Madison Mitchell Pierre Rapid City Sioux Falls Spearfish Sturgis Tea Vermillion Watertown Yankton
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44°22′N 96°47′W / 44.37°N 96.79°W / 44.37; -96.79

• South Dakota counties
• Brookings County, South Dakota
• 1871 establishments in Dakota Territory
• Populated places established in 1871