Brown County, Minnesota Demographics 2026

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

Brown County, Minnesota has a population of 25,800, the 40th most populous county in Minnesota. The median household income is $69,378 and the median home value is $191,200. The poverty rate is 8.5%.

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

Brown County Quick Facts

Population 25,800

Median Household Income $69,378

Median Home Value $191,200

Poverty Rate 8.5%

Unemployment Rate 2.9%

Median Age 42.0 years

Homeownership Rate 78.9%

Affordability Ratio 2.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 24.5%

High School Graduation 92.8%

Cities/Places 9

Population 25,800 40th of 87

Median Income $69,378 22% lower than state

Poverty Rate 8.5%

Unemployment 2.9%

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	25,826	25,800	-0.1%
Median household income	$68,690	$69,378	+1.0%
Median home value	$181,700	$191,200	+5.2%

Median Household Income

Brown

$69,378

$89,062

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Brown

$191,200

$329,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 13.1%

$25K-$50K 19.0%

$50K-$100K 37.3%

$100K+ 30.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.0%

$10K-$15K

3.2%

$15K-$20K

2.9%

$20K-$25K

3.0%

$25K-$30K

4.3%

$30K-$35K

3.2%

$35K-$40K

3.4%

$40K-$45K

5.0%

$45K-$50K

3.1%

$50K-$60K

10.5%

$60K-$75K

11.3%

$75K-$100K

15.5%

$100K-$125K

10.7%

$125K-$150K

7.6%

$150K-$200K

7.1%

$200K+

5.3%

Employment

2.9% Unemployment Rate State: 4.1%|National: 5.2%

65.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 78.9%

Renter 21.1%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $890/mo 15.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.9%

18-34

19.7%

35-54

22.2%

55-74

26.1%

75+

10.2%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 41 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Brown County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
New Ulm	14,056	$64,449	9.2%	$204,200
Sleepy Eye	3,444	$66,911	7.8%	$147,600
Springfield	2,125	$59,434	11.8%	$122,300
Hanska	380	$70,000	13.2%	$89,500
Comfrey	338	$61,875	13.3%	$96,300
Searles	201	$80,625	1.0%	$191,100
Evan	89	$51,250	12.4%	$54,000
Essig	76	N/A	31.6%	$160,900
Cobden	12	N/A	0.0%	N/A

Explore Minnesota 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 Minnesota with a total population of 25,800. It is the 40th most populous county out of 87 in Minnesota. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Brown County is 42.0 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. 10.2% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Brown County is $69,378. This is 22% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 14% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.5%. This is 9% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. The unemployment rate is 2.9%. This is 29% lower than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $191,200. Housing costs are 42% lower than the state median of $329,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Brown County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 78.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% higher than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Brown County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.1%. The Black or African American population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 7.0%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.1%.

Education

24.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 38% lower than the state rate of 39.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.8%.

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 Minnesota 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, Minnesota?

Brown County has a population of 25,800, making it the 40th most populous county in Minnesota.

What is the median income in Brown County?

The median household income in Brown County is $69,378 with a poverty rate of 8.5%.

How many cities are in Brown County, Minnesota?

Brown County contains 9 Census-designated places.