Brown County, Texas Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Brown County, Texas has a population of 38,347, the 82nd most populous county in Texas. The median household income is $57,470 and the median home value is $158,900. The poverty rate is 15.3%.

Brown County Quick Facts

Population 38,347

Median Household Income $57,47090% MOE ±$4,278

Median Home Value $158,90090% MOE ±$7,445

Poverty Rate 15.3%90% MOE ±2.3 pts

Unemployment Rate 5.3%90% MOE ±1.3 pts

Median Age 41.8 years90% MOE ±0.6 years

Homeownership Rate 68.3%90% MOE ±2.3 pts

Affordability Ratio 2.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 20.2%90% MOE ±2.1 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 88.3%

Cities/Places 8

Population 38,347 82nd of 254

Median Income $57,470 27% lower than state

Poverty Rate 15.3%

Unemployment 5.3%

How Brown County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	37,855	38,347	+1.3%
Median household income	$59,523	$57,470	No clear change (-3.4%)
Median home value¹	$126,148	$158,900	+26.0%
Median gross rent	$941	$919	No clear change (-2.4%)

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Brown

$57,470

$78,476

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Brown

$158,900

$283,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 21.1%

$25K-$50K 23.7%

$50K-$100K 30.1%

$100K+ 25.0%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.7%

$10K-$15K

4.8%

$15K-$20K

6.8%

$20K-$25K

3.8%

$25K-$30K

5.4%

$30K-$35K

5.0%

$35K-$40K

4.3%

$40K-$45K

5.0%

$45K-$50K

4.1%

$50K-$60K

7.3%

$60K-$75K

10.8%

$75K-$100K

12.0%

$100K-$125K

9.9%

$125K-$150K

4.5%

$150K-$200K

7.1%

$200K+

3.6%

Employment

5.3% Unemployment Rate State: 5.3%|National: 5.2%

56.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 68.3%

Renter 31.7%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $919/mo 19.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.4%

18-34

20.4%

35-54

24.5%

55-74

25.8%

75+

8.9%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

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

State average: 67 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Brown County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Brownwood	18,777	$48,981	20.9%	$144,400
Early	3,143	$67,346	10.5%	$179,800
Bangs	1,633	$48,098	13.0%	$111,600
Lake Brownwood	1,544	$70,000	12.2%	$130,700
Thunderbird Bay	702	$48,350	16.4%	$65,700
Blanket	434	$40,750	35.7%	$76,800
Zephyr	244	$47,917	3.7%	$139,100
May	204	$90,625	7.8%	N/A

Explore Texas 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 Texas with a total population of 38,347. It is the 82nd most populous county out of 254 in Texas. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Brown County is 41.8 years. This is 17% higher than the state median of 35.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Brown County is $57,470. This is 27% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 29% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.3%. This is 11% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 5.3%. The median home value is $158,900. Housing costs are 44% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Brown County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 68.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% higher than the state average of 62.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Brown County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 69.9% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 22.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (69.9% vs 39.1%). The Black or African American population (3.5%) is well below the state average of 11.9%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 5.5%.

Education

20.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 40% lower than the state rate of 33.8%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 88.3%.

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 Texas 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, Texas?

Brown County has a population of 38,347, making it the 82nd most populous county in Texas.

What is the median income in Brown County?

The median household income in Brown County is $57,470 with a poverty rate of 15.3%.

How many cities are in Brown County, Texas?

Brown County contains 8 Census-designated places.