Brookings County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 23.6 | 35,980 people · 52nd most distressed in South Dakota
American Default Research

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Brookings County, SD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 23.6 — 3063rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within South Dakota, it ranks 52nd of 66 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Brookings County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 49.2 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 49.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 37
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 35
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 76
Homeownership Rate 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 3
Employment & Wages 33.1
Unemployment Rate 8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 9
Business Formation Rate 83
Income & Poverty 19.9
Poverty Rate 31
Income vs. State Median 26
Child Poverty Rate 3
Debt & Delinquency 9.3
Debt in Collections 2
Medical Debt 20
Student Loan Delinquency 8
Auto Loan Delinquency 3
Credit Card Delinquency 4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 19
Community Vulnerability 6.8
Uninsured Rate 11
Disability Rate 3

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Brookings County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Brookings County
Brookings County, SD 23.6 Healthy —
Pipestone County, MN 36.9 Normal +13.2
Lincoln County, MN 34.3 Healthy +10.7
Moody County, SD 31.8 Healthy +8.2
Kingsbury County, SD 28.9 Healthy +5.2
Lake County, SD 28.3 Healthy +4.6
Deuel County, SD 21.0 Healthy -2.6
Hamlin County, SD 18.3 Healthy -5.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Brookings County
Mitchell County, IA 23.7 Healthy +0.1
Hughes County, SD 23.5 Healthy -0.1
Elbert County, CO 23.4 Healthy -0.2
Washington County, IL 23.9 Healthy +0.2
Washington County, NE 23.9 Healthy +0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Brookings County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Brookings County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Brookings County.

CCCS OF LSS - SOUTH DAKOTA
BROOKINGS
605-692-9636 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHomeless/DisplacementPre-Purchase

See all counselors in South Dakota →

Find an Attorney

State Bar of South Dakota Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of South Dakota Lawyer Referral Service 605-224-7554

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Brookings County residents at no cost.

East River Legal Services 1-800-952-3015
Dakota Plains Legal Services 1-800-658-2297

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in South Dakota →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Brookings County, South Dakota?

    Brookings County has a County Distress Index score of 23.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,063rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 52nd in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Brookings County?

    The primary driver of distress in Brookings County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 49.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Brookings County compare to neighboring counties?

    Brookings County (23.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Pipestone County, MN (36.9); Lincoln County, MN (34.3); Moody County, SD (31.8).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Brookings County?

    Brookings County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 35,980 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.