Brookings is a swing city, Vermillion is basically the only predominately white reliably Democratic part of the Dakotas. No clue why Vermillion is so much more liberal.
Vermillion is a college town. The University of South Dakota's campus is there. 36% of the population is from 18-24.
Yes, Brookings is home to South Dakota State with similar 18-24 demographics, but the city is twice Vermillion's size. Vermillion also has only 9 men for every 10 women, while the ratio is closer to even in Brookings. That's probably because most "State" land grant colleges in states with a U and State U tend to be more agricultural and engineering focused than their U counterparts.
