Living in Brookings

Life’s Priorities

Consider the average 1-hour commute in a large city. You spend 2 hours a day, 10 hours a week, 40 hours a month, or 500 hours a year in your car. Just driving. That’s twelve and a half work weeks a year!

The average commute in Brookings is 5-10 minutes. Think of the added productivity, the added family time, the added you time you could gain without the commute.

Brookings is a tremendous place to live, work, and play. The city’s proximity to several metropolitan areas makes business or pleasure travel easy.

Brookings offers an incredible cultural experience with easy access to visual and performing arts. Recreational amenities abound, and a vibrant entertainment scene and Division I athletics create an exciting atmosphere in this dynamic city. Brookings boasts many of the conveniences you’d find in a more populated area—all without the hassle of the big city.

Offering important quality of life amenities, Brookings is home to a growing retail population including a variety of stores and restaurants, an excellent public education system, and state-of-the-art healthcare.

With a student population, over 11,000 students, South Dakota State University maintains an active presence in the community, making Brookings the #3 Great College Town in the small-town category by the US News and World Report.