Brookings County vs Pennington County
Brookings County, South Dakota versus Pennington County, South Dakota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Brookings County edges out Pennington County on overall objective livability (57 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Brookings County | Pennington County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $64k | $68k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $45k |
| Home Value | $228k | $248k |
| Monthly Rent | $870 | $996 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.17% | 1.18% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.11% | 6.11% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 6.15% | 6.32% |
| Unemployment | 3.9% | 3.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 15°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 25.5 in | 20.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 36.8 in | 52.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 233 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 88 days | 53 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 50.1 | 78.6 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 40.1 | 35.8 |
| Violent Crime | 782/100k | 2359/100k |
| Property Crime | 974/100k | 2760/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 34,631 | 110,386 |
| Median Age | 27.7 | 39.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.19 | 0.34 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.05 | 1.04 |
| Political Leaning | R+13 | R+26 |
| White (%) | 88.6% | 78.5% |
| Black (%) | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.9% | 5.7% |
| Asian (%) | 3.1% | 1.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.4% | 13.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 14 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 7.1/20 | 7.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 179 mi | 305 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.1% | 88.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 21.37 | 0.82 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Brookings County or Pennington County more affordable?
- Pennington County has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Brookings County's $45k and Pennington County's $45k. Median rent is $870 in Brookings County versus $996 in Pennington County.
- Is Brookings County or Pennington County safer?
- Brookings County has the lower violent crime rate. Brookings County reports 782/100k and Pennington County reports 2359/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Brookings County or Pennington County?
- The median home value is $228k in Brookings County and $248k in Pennington County, so homes are more affordable in Brookings County.