Brookings, SD
Landscaper insurance in Brookings, South Dakota
County landscaping data, chemical licensing, and what insurers ask Brookings crews. A quote is not a binder.
Lawn, landscape, and grounds companies serving Brookings (24,555 people) compete in a county with 15 landscaping firms, by the 2023 County Business Patterns count. Those firms employed 85 people.
The Brookings-area green industry
| Census 2023 | Brookings County | All of South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Landscaping services establishments | 15 | 376 |
| Landscaping services employees | 85 | 1,460 |
| Annual payroll per landscaping employee | $34,176 | $50,038 |
| All services to buildings and dwellings | 28 | 734 |
| Landscaping firms with fewer than 5 employees | 53% | 77% |
Counts: County Business Patterns 2023, NAICS 561730 and related codes.
Small operations dominate the county's landscaping trade (53% have under five employees). As they add crews, workers' compensation and higher liability limits become necessary.
What Brookings's housing means for landscapers
Brookings has 9,984.0 housing units, 56% of them single-family homes (South Dakota: 71%). Single-family neighborhoods drive recurring mowing and maintenance routes; apartment complexes and HOAs drive commercial grounds contracts.
With 10% of its 12,577 workers home-based, Brookings has more residents home during the workday than the state average (10%). Thrown-object and property damage claims often come from homeowners who are present.
Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 (housing units, structure type, year built, tenure, and means of transportation to work); 2024 city population estimates.
Chemical application rules for Brookings crews
Chemical application is regulated in South Dakota by the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. For Brookings landscapers, drift and misapplication claims are the main insurance concern.
BLS estimates 2,980 landscaping and groundskeeping workers in South Dakota earning a median $35,370 a year (May 2025).
Brookings next to other South Dakota markets
Landscapers around Sioux Falls number 81 at the county level. Pennington County, which includes Rapid City, counts 51 landscaping services establishments. Ranked by landscaping firms in the county, Brookings is number 11 among 15 South Dakota city guides here.
Get ready for a Brookings landscaping quote
- Mowing, installation, tree, chemical, snow: share of revenue for each
- Annual revenue
- Three to five years of claims history
- Tree work height
- Equipment list
- Chemical application
Start a Brookings landscaper quote
Common questions from Brookings landscapers
Which policies do lawn care companies in Brookings carry?
Liability, auto, inland marine for equipment, and workers' comp are standard. Chemical work, tree work, and snow need specific coverage.
How big is the landscaping industry around Brookings?
The Census Bureau counted 15 landscaping service establishments in Brookings County in 2023.
What do Brookings property managers require from landscapers?
Most ask for $1 million liability limits and additional insured endorsements. See general liability.
South Dakota landscaping towns nearby
Landscaper insurance in South Dakota · Coverage
Last updated October 15, 2026 · How we research