Brown County, Illinois Demographics 2026

Name: Brown County, Illinois Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Brown County, Illinois has a population of 6,322, the 91st most populous county in Illinois. The median household income is $67,917 and the median home value is $150,300. The poverty rate is 9.3%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Brown County Quick Facts

Population 6,322

Median Household Income $67,917

Median Home Value $150,300

Poverty Rate 9.3%

Unemployment Rate 3.1%

Median Age 41.0 years

Homeownership Rate 71.8%

Affordability Ratio 2.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 12.6%

High School Graduation 76.7%

Cities/Places 4

Population 6,322 91st of 102

Median Income $67,917 19% lower than state

Poverty Rate 9.3%

Unemployment 3.1%

How Brown County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	6,320	6,322	+0.0%
Median household income	$72,288	$67,917	-6.0%
Median home value	$142,200	$150,300	+5.7%

Median Household Income

Brown

$67,917

$83,390

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Brown

$150,300

$263,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.7%

$25K-$50K 19.5%

$50K-$100K 35.8%

$100K+ 27.0%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

2.8%

$10K-$15K

7.8%

$15K-$20K

3.1%

$20K-$25K

3.9%

$25K-$30K

3.3%

$30K-$35K

2.7%

$35K-$40K

3.7%

$40K-$45K

4.8%

$45K-$50K

5.0%

$50K-$60K

6.7%

$60K-$75K

10.8%

$75K-$100K

18.3%

$100K-$125K

8.3%

$125K-$150K

8.3%

$150K-$200K

7.9%

$200K+

2.4%

Employment

3.1% Unemployment Rate State: 5.8%|National: 5.2%

41.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 71.8%

Renter 28.2%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $698/mo 12.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

16.8%

18-34

23.1%

35-54

31.9%

55-74

22.0%

75+

6.3%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 61 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Brown County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Mount Sterling	1,980	$59,087	12.3%	$131,200
Versailles	441	$48,750	16.1%	$91,100
Mound Station	150	$76,375	6.0%	$120,500
Ripley	87	N/A	31.0%	$43,100

Explore Illinois Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Brown County is located in Illinois with a total population of 6,322. It is the 91st most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Brown County is 41.0 years. This is 5% higher than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Brown County is $67,917. This is 19% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 16% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.3%. This is 22% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.1%. This is 48% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $150,300. Housing costs are 43% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Brown County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 71.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Brown County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 74.1% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 17.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (6.7%) is well below the state average of 18.8%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

12.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 67% lower than the state rate of 37.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 76.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Brown County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Illinois and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Brown County, Illinois?

Brown County has a population of 6,322, making it the 91st most populous county in Illinois.

What is the median income in Brown County?

The median household income in Brown County is $67,917 with a poverty rate of 9.3%.

How many cities are in Brown County, Illinois?

Brown County contains 4 Census-designated places.