Brookings County vs Lincoln County
A side-by-side comparison of Brookings County and Lincoln County: population, income, housing, and more.
Brookings County and Lincoln County are counties in South Dakota. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Lincoln County has the higher population (68,286 vs 34,968 in Brookings County). Lincoln County has the higher median household income ($96,552 vs $67,341 in Brookings County). Lincoln County has the higher median home value ($323,500 vs $246,300 in Brookings County).
Population, income & housing
| Brookings County | Lincoln County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,968 | 68,286 |
| Median age | 28.0 yrs | 35.8 yrs |
| Median household income | $67,341 | $96,552 |
| Median home value | $246,300 | $323,500 |
| Median gross rent | $874 | $1,237 |
| Housing units | 15,025 | 27,552 |
| Homeownership rate | 58.9% | 72.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.0% | 42.5% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 1.6% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Brookings County | Lincoln County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,601 → 34,968 (+1.1%) | 56,826 → 68,286 (+20.2%) |
| Median household income | $58,136 → $67,341 (+15.8%) | $82,473 → $96,552 (+17.1%) |
| Median home value | $179,000 → $246,300 (+37.6%) | $228,800 → $323,500 (+41.4%) |
| Median gross rent | $750 → $874 (+16.5%) | $963 → $1,237 (+28.5%) |
Brookings County
34,60134,968
$58,136$67,341
$179,000$246,300
$750$874
Lincoln County
56,82668,286
$82,473$96,552
$228,800$323,500
$963$1,237
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Brookings County | Lincoln County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.7% | 6.4% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.4% | 20.6% |
| 18 to 24 | 24.4% | 7.6% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.8% | 14.1% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.1% | 15.1% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.1% | 11.5% |
| 55 to 64 | 9.1% | 10.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.9% | 8.9% |
| 75 and over | 5.4% | 5.3% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Brookings County | Lincoln County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 87.9% | 89.8% |
| Black or African American | 1.1% | 2.1% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.7% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 3.4% | 1.6% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.0% | 0.5% |
| Two or more races | 2.5% | 2.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.3% | 2.9% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Brookings County | Lincoln County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 3.3% | 4.1% |
| High school graduate | 23.1% | 23.6% |
| Some college or associate's | 29.7% | 29.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 29.2% | 27.9% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 14.8% | 14.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Brookings County | Lincoln County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 75.1% | 81.4% |
| Carpooled | 8.6% | 5.3% |
| Public transit | 0.6% | 0.2% |
| Walked | 3.4% | 1.7% |
| Bicycle | 0.9% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| Other means | 0.5% | 0.3% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Brookings County | Lincoln County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 58.3% | 62.9% |
| 1-unit, attached | 7.4% | 10.9% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.3% | 4.9% |
| 5 to 19 units | 14.3% | 8.5% |
| 20 or more units | 7.6% | 10.8% |
| Mobile home & other | 7.0% | 2.0% |
Poverty & households
| Brookings County | Lincoln County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 5.8% |
| Average household size | 2.35 | 2.55 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 14 | 19 |
| Median year structure built | 1983 | 2004 |
Full profiles
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