1st Advantage MortgageAbout 87% of Brown County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $78,528. 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
- Getting oriented in Brown County
- Work, industries and travel time in Brown County
- Household income in Brown County
- Rent, home values and ownership in Brown County
- Brown County next to its neighbors
- Places inside Brown County
- A Brown County household budget, worked through
- Borrowing situations common in Brown County
- People and households in Brown County
- A Brown County borrower's checklist
- Licensing and complaints for Brown County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Brown County
Roughly 15,606 residents live in Brown County, Indiana, 79th by population among the state's 92 counties and county equivalents. It covers 312 square miles of land, or about 50 people per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Of the 2 Census places inside Brown County, Nashville leads by population with about 1,386; 1 of the 2 are incorporated.
Work, industries and travel time in Brown County
By the Census industry count, 21% of employed Brown County residents work in education and health care and 16% in manufacturing. Compared with Indiana, the county leans toward public administration (7% against 4%). The survey's unemployment rate for Brown County averages 2.2% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.3%). 36% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 14% work from home. Households without a car make up 3.5% of the total (6.2% statewide).
| Sector | Brown County | Compared with Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.3% | -2.2 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.7% | -2.3 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.3% | +0.6 pts |
| Construction | 9.8% | +3.2 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.3% | -2.0 pts |
| Public administration | 7.3% | +3.7 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
Household income in Brown County
Brown County households have a median income of $78,528 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 14th of 92 in Indiana.
| Yearly household income | Brown County | Gap to Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 18.9% | -3.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.6% | +1.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 28.2% | +2.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 8.3% | +0.1 pts |
About 19% of households earn under $35,000, while 36% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 7.8%, 5 points lower than the state's 12.3%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.431 here. For a borrower in Brown County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Rent, home values and ownership in Brown County
A typical Brown County rental runs $895 a month including utilities, which is 16% below Indiana. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 51% of renter households here. Home values center on $269,100, or 3.4 years of median income. The ownership rate is 87%. Half the housing stock was built before 1982.
| Home costs | Brown County | Indiana | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $895/mo | $1,062/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $269,100 | $218,200 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 87% | 71% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 51% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 22% | 20% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 6.9% | 4.4% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 21% | 9% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare). High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
Brown County next to its neighbors
Monroe County is closest, 16 miles from center to center; the sixth, Lawrence County, is 28 miles off. Income ranges from $65,868 in Monroe County to $90,454 in Johnson County; 3 of these neighbors top Brown County's median.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown County | - | $78,528 | $895/mo | 87% |
| Monroe County, IN | 16 mi | $65,868 | $1,193/mo | 54% |
| Bartholomew County, IN | 18 mi | $79,901 | $1,127/mo | 69% |
| Jackson County, IN | 22 mi | $70,262 | $1,004/mo | 73% |
| Johnson County, IN | 22 mi | $90,454 | $1,271/mo | 73% |
| Morgan County, IN | 23 mi | $79,429 | $1,042/mo | 82% |
| Lawrence County, IN | 28 mi | $66,468 | $845/mo | 81% |
Places inside Brown County
The table lists the 2 largest of 2 Census places in Brown County, by population. Together all 2 hold about 2,576 people, so roughly 83% of residents live outside any named place. Live in one of these Brown County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | town | 1,386 | $51,638 | $822 | 1 mi |
| Cordry Sweetwater Lakes | CDP | 1,190 | $94,583 | n/a | 10 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
A Brown County household budget, worked through
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Brown County's medians:
- Monthly gross at the median, Brown County: $6,544
- Rent at the median, $895, takes 14% of that
- 40% debt-to-income limit: $1,723 left for all other debt payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Brown County's.
Borrowing situations common in Brown County
What the Brown County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Vehicle repairs. 36% of Brown County workers commute 45+ minutes, so a breakdown can cost a paycheck. Get two written estimates.
- Retirees. At a median age of 51.0, many borrowers here rely on award letters as proof of income; favor no prepayment penalty.
- Rent squeeze. 51% of renters spend 30%+ of income on rent; borrow only if the loan cuts what you pay overall.
People and households in Brown County
College graduates make up 26% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 4.3%, against 7.4% for Indiana.
| Residents | Brown County | Indiana | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.0 | 38.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 26.4% | 29.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.8% | 9.6% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.3% | 7.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 3.5% | 6.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 13.6% | 10.7% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 12.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.2% | 4.3% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Brown County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 17.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 25.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 21.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 15.7% |
| 60+ min | 20.0% |
A Brown County borrower's checklist
Steps that save money for Brown County residents:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Verify the Indiana license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Licensing and complaints for Brown County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Brown County, check the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. More on Indiana: Indiana personal loans.
Related local guides
The Indiana guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Brown County a high-income county?
Its $78,528 median ranks 14th of 92 Indiana counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
What do renters pay in Brown County?
$895 a month at the median, about 14% of median household income.
Which towns does the Brown County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 2 Census places: Nashville, Cordry Sweetwater Lakes.
Are Brown County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Brown County?
Start with the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.