Brookings County, SD elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Brookings County: 10 seats on 6 elected bodies. 6 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of County Commissioners

Brookings County Board of Commissioners

Every member is elected countywide.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County CommissionerShawn Hostler source
County CommissionerLarry Jensen sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerDave Miller source
County CommissionerDoug Post source
County CommissionerKelly VanderWal sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
CoronerDavid Erickson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Finance OfficerLori Schultz sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Register of DeedsBeverly Chapman sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffMartin Stanwick sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
State's AttorneyDan Nelson source

How many local governments Brookings County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 44 local governments in Brookings County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government11
Cities, towns, villages and townships (8 municipal, 23 township)310
School districts (school boards)40
Special districts (elected boards)80

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Brookings County

35,353people
28median ageU.S.: 38.9
$70,064 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
13.2%below the U.S.: 12.5%
42.5%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$264,600median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.7%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
6.2%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
4.8%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5.1%U.S.: 8.4%
38.3%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
18.3%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 4.6% · White 87.5% · Black 1% · Asian 3.3% · Other or more than one race 3.6% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Brookings County

1.4%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 1.7%. South Dakota: 1.7%.
283people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
19,369people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
19,652in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Brookings County 0.0%1.0%2.0%3.0%4.0% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)1.4%28319,36919,652
August 20262.0%39018,82919,219
July 20262.1%40818,90219,310
June 20262.0%38119,07119,452
May 20261.9%37819,59819,976
April 20261.7%34119,88920,230
March 20262.0%41019,70720,117
February 20262.8%55819,60420,162
January 20262.3%44119,09519,536
December 20252.5%50719,61320,120
November 20252.3%46319,92120,384
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20251.7%34419,69420,038
August 20252.3%45719,11519,572
July 20252.1%41119,22819,639
June 20252.1%41519,33719,752
May 20252.1%41919,62120,040
April 20252.0%41019,82020,230
March 20251.7%34219,57419,916
February 20252.2%43119,45819,889
January 20252.0%37518,84119,216
December 20242.2%42519,10019,525
November 20241.9%37119,30919,680
October 20241.5%29619,48619,782
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)2.1%41619,47519,891
20241.8%34619,12019,466
20231.8%33919,02819,367
20221.9%35918,76219,121
20212.6%48018,10518,585
20203.8%71017,84018,550
20192.6%50718,64019,147
20182.5%48618,58019,066
20172.8%53718,35818,895
20162.7%51818,46018,978

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. South Dakota's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 2.0% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Brookings County

87.5 per 100,0002025. South Dakota: 307.5.
644.7 per 100,0002025. South Dakota: 1,312.3.
0murders2025, 33 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
20253387.5243644.7
20242772.8325875.9
202337100.6326886.7
202250139.2329915.7
202138104.2190520.8
202048132.8264730.3
201963174.4361999.2
201853149.43761,060.0
201748137.03621,033.0
201641117.34271,222.1
By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Brookings Police Department20252821524,860
Brookings County Sheriff's Office202552812,049

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in South Dakota · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.60 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 36,909 people.
59sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
47civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Brookings Police Department391724,860
Brookings County Sheriff's Office203012,049
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025591.60472
2024531.46552
2023541.50362
2022521.48342
2021521.45232
2020521.47442
2019521.47262
2018491.41182
2017481.40212
2016481.40212

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Brookings County Coroner?
David Erickson is the Coroner of Brookings County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Brookings County County Finance Officer?
Lori Schultz is the County Finance Officer of Brookings County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Brookings County Register of Deeds?
Beverly Chapman is the Register of Deeds of Brookings County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Brookings County Sheriff?
Martin Stanwick is the Sheriff of Brookings County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Brookings County State's Attorney?
Dan Nelson is the State's Attorney of Brookings County, South Dakota.
Who are the Brookings County commissioners?
Shawn Hostler (County Commissioner); Larry Jensen (County Commissioner); Dave Miller (County Commissioner); Doug Post (County Commissioner); Kelly VanderWal (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Brookings County?
About 35,353 people, with a median age of 28; the median household income is $70,064 and 13.2% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Brookings County?
1.4% in September 2026 (preliminary): 283 people unemployed in a labor force of 19,652, against 1.7% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Brookings County?
44 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 8 municipal, 23 township, 4 school district and 8 special district governments.

Officeholders as of December 2, 2025, from the Secretary of State's South Dakota Legislative Manual (Blue Book); each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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