Brookings is a city in and the county seat of Brookings County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 23,377 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth most populous city in South Dakota, and was estimated to be 24,312 in 2023. It is home to South Dakota State University, the state's largest institution of higher education. Also in Brookings are the South Dakota Art Museum, the Children's Museum of South Dakota, the annual Brookings Summer Arts Festival, and the headquarters of several manufacturing companies and agricultural operations.