1st Advantage MortgageThe median Brown County household earns $67,917, and 9% of residents live below the poverty line. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- A quick profile of Brown County
- Household income in Brown County
- The Brown County job picture
- Rent, home values and ownership in Brown County
- Brown County next to its neighbors
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Brown County
- Brown County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Borrowing situations common in Brown County
- A Brown County household budget, worked through
- Who licenses lenders for Brown County residents
- Steps before you apply in Brown County
- More guides for Brown County
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Brown County
With an estimated 6,322 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Brown County ranks 91st of 102 in Illinois for population. Spread over 306 square miles, that works out to roughly 20.7 residents per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 4 places in the county (4 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Mount Sterling, with about 1,980 residents, or 31% of the county. Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Brown County figure on this page as a rough guide.
Household income in Brown County
Brown County households have a median income of $67,917 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 47th of 102 in Illinois.
| Households earning | Brown County | +/- vs Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 23.8% | +2.9 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 49.2% | +12.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 24.6% | -3.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 2.4% | -11.4 pts |
The spread is wide: 27% of Brown County households make $100,000 or more, and 24% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 9.2%, 3 points lower than the state's 11.8%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.411 (0 is perfect equality). None of these numbers decides a Brown County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
The Brown County job picture
Wholesale trade employs 21% of working residents, the largest share; education and health care is next with 21%. The sharpest difference from the state is in wholesale trade, at 21% locally and 3% for Illinois. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 3.1% in Brown County. About 81% drive to work alone and 9% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Only 8.5% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Brown County | Gap to Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale trade | 20.6% | +18.0 pts |
| Education and health care | 20.5% | -3.0 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.6% | +1.4 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 8.6% | +7.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 7.9% | -3.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 6.9% | -3.5 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Rent, home values and ownership in Brown County
A typical Brown County rental runs $698 a month including utilities, which is 45% below Illinois. 39% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 9% spend half or more. With a median value of $150,300, a typical Brown County house costs 2.2 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 72% of homes.
| Cost | Brown County | Illinois figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $698/mo | $1,274/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $150,300 | $263,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 72% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 39% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 27% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 12% | 8% | n/a |
Brown County next to its neighbors
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (15 to 33 miles). Cass County leads the group on income ($68,125), Pike County trails ($59,777), and Brown County out-earns 5 of the six.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown County | - | $67,917 | $698/mo | 72% |
| Schuyler County, IL | 15 mi | $65,948 | $853/mo | 79% |
| Adams County, IL | 24 mi | $66,220 | $828/mo | 72% |
| Pike County, IL | 24 mi | $59,777 | $676/mo | 78% |
| Scott County, IL | 27 mi | $66,705 | $689/mo | 79% |
| Cass County, IL | 27 mi | $68,125 | $723/mo | 76% |
| Morgan County, IL | 33 mi | $66,306 | $722/mo | 73% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Brown County
4 Census places fall mainly inside Brown County; the 4 biggest are below. They account for 2,658 residents, leaving about 58% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. None of the 4 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Sterling | city | 1,980 | $59,087 | $604 | 2 mi |
| Versailles | village | 441 | $48,750 | $844 | 7 mi |
| Mound Station | village | 150 | $76,375 | n/a | 7 mi |
| Ripley | village | 87 | n/a | n/a | 7 mi |
Brown County residents: age, schooling, coverage
Degree holders: 13% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 2.1%, against 6.9% for Illinois.
| People and households | Brown County | Illinois | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 12.6% | 37.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 23.3% | 9.5% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 2.1% | 6.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 8.5% | 11.0% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 15.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | 11.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.1% | 5.8% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 57.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 24.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 8.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 7.1% |
| 60+ min | 1.7% |
Borrowing situations common in Brown County
What the Brown County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
- Consolidating cards in Brown County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
A Brown County household budget, worked through
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Brown County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Monthly gross at the median, Brown County: $5,660
- 12% goes to median rent ($698)
- Under a 35% cap, $1,981 total minus rent leaves $1,283
- With a 45% ceiling, about $1,849 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Two-income households and single earners in Brown County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Who licenses lenders for Brown County residents
Before sharing details with a lender, a Brown County resident can confirm its license with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. The Illinois guide covers state rules in more detail.
Steps before you apply in Brown County
A short checklist for Brown County borrowers:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Brown County.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Brown County-area credit union.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Illinois borrowers.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
More guides for Brown County
The Illinois guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Brown County earn?
The median is $67,917; 27% earn $100,000 or more and 24% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How much is rent in Brown County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $698 a month; 39% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I own my home in Brown County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 72% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
Does this page cover Mount Sterling?
Yes, along with the other 3 Census places in Brown County, such as Versailles, Mound Station, Ripley.
Will a Brown County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Illinois as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.