Brookings, SD
Leans Republican — 35K residents — 1 counties
| Group | % |
|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 87.5% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(13) | 4.6% |
▶Black / African American(7) | 1.1% |
▶Asian(5) | 3.3% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(3) | 0.3% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(3) | 1.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 2.3% |
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents |
|---|---|---|
| Mainline Protestant | 18.8% | 38.3% |
| Evangelical Protestant | 18.2% | 36.9% |
| Catholic | 10.1% | 20.6% |
| Other | 2.1% | 4.2% |
| LDS (Mormon) | 1.0% | 2.1% |
| Non-religious | 50.8% | — |
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Trump+13.0 |
| 2016 | Trump+14.7 |
| 2012 | Romney+3.2 |
| 2008 | Obama+5.6 |
| 2004 | Bush+16.6 |
| 2000 | Bush+15.2 |
| 1996 | Dole+0.1 |
| 1992 | Bush+0.4 |
Brookings, SD is a metro area that has a population of 35,353. In the 2020 presidential election, it voted Republican with a margin of R+13.0. Akashic Edge tracks 33 presidential elections here, dating back to 1892.
| Year | Dem % | Rep % | Margin | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 41.9% | 54.9% | R+13.0 | D+1.8 |
| 2016 | 38.5% | 53.2% | R+14.7 | R+11.6 |
| 2012 | 47.0% | 50.2% | R+3.2 | R+8.7 |
| 2008 | 51.7% | 46.1% | D+5.6 | D+22.2 |
| 2004 | 40.7% | 57.3% | R+16.6 | R+1.4 |
| 2000 | 41.4% | 56.6% | R+15.2 | R+15.1 |
| 1996 | 45.3% | 45.4% | R+0.1 | D+0.4 |
| 1992 | 38.7% | 39.1% | R+0.4 | D+4.7 |
| 1988 | 47.2% | 52.3% | R+5.2 | D+18.8 |
| 1984 | 37.8% | 61.8% | R+24.0 | R+7.6 |
| 1980 | 35.8% | 52.2% | R+16.3 | R+10.4 |
| 1976 | 46.7% | 52.6% | R+5.9 | R+1.1 |
| 1972 | 47.4% | 52.3% | R+4.9 | D+13.4 |
| 1968 | 39.6% | 57.8% | R+18.2 | R+24.5 |
| 1964 | 53.2% | 46.8% | D+6.3 | D+37.8 |
| 1960 | 34.2% | 65.8% | R+31.5 | D+2.3 |
| 1956 | 33.1% | 66.9% | R+33.8 | D+18.8 |
| 1952 | 23.7% | 76.3% | R+52.6 | R+37.2 |
| 1948 | 42.0% | 57.4% | R+15.4 | D+17.8 |
| 1944 | 33.4% | 66.6% | R+33.2 | — |
What defines Brookings, SD?
Brookings, SD has been won by both parties in the last 6 presidential elections (1D, 5R) — a genuine swing geography. It has a highly educated electorate (43% college-educated) — a demographic increasingly aligned with Democrats nationwide.
Constituent Counties
Counties in Brookings, SD
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookings | 35K | E | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Ask the Historian
Key Insights
- Won by both parties in recent history — Democrats most recently in 2008, Republicans in 2020
- Highly elastic — margins have ranged 22.2 points across recent elections, suggesting a volatile electorate
- College attainment is 43% — 10pp above the national average. Similar education levels correlate with Democratic lean nationally
Who Lives Here
| Group | Brookings, SD | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 87.5% | 57.4% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(13) | 4.6% | 19.3% |
▶Asian(5) | 3.3% | 6.0% |
Multiracial / Other | 2.3% | 4.0% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(3) | 1.3% | 0.9% |
▶Black / African American(7) | 1.1% | 12.2% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(3) | 0.3% | 0.9% |
Religious Adherents
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -20.8pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Evangelical-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Republican-leaning rural and exurban communities.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18.8% | 38.3% | — | — | |
| 18.2% | 36.9% | — | — | |
| 10.1% | 20.6% | — | — | |
| 2.1% | 4.2% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 1.0% | 2.1% | — | — |
Non-religiousPopulation | 50.8% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Brookings, SD metro area? 35,353 residents across 1 counties.
Demographics
43% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 10pp above the national average. Places with similar education levels vote D+16 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
Turnout in Brookings, SD
How competitive is Brookings, SD?
Do voters in Brookings, SD split their tickets?
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate vs Governor | R+33.8 | R+15.1 | 18.7pp |