1st Advantage MortgageAbout 79% of Brown County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $69,378. 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
- Brown County, MN: the basics
- What Brown County households earn
- Jobs and commutes in Brown County
- Brown County housing compared with Minnesota
- Brown County next to its neighbors
- Places inside Brown County
- More Brown County figures
- Local borrowing considerations for Brown County
- Debt-to-income at Brown County's medians
- Steps before you apply in Brown County
- Licensing and complaints for Brown County
- More guides for Brown County
- Frequently asked questions
Brown County, MN: the basics
Brown County is home to about 25,800 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 40th most populous of 87 county-level areas in Minnesota. Spread over 611 square miles, that works out to roughly 42.2 residents per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 9 places in the county (7 incorporated, 2 census-designated); the largest is New Ulm, with about 14,056 residents, or 54% of the county.
What Brown County households earn
At $69,378, the typical Brown County household income is 6% above the median U.S. county ($65,681). That places it 72nd among Minnesota's 87 county-level areas.
| Income band | Share in Brown County | Difference from Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 20.6% | +3.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 48.8% | +10.7 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 25.4% | -5.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.3% | -8.6 pts |
Some 21% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 31% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 8.5% of Brown County residents in poverty, against 9.3% across Minnesota. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.408 (0 is perfect equality). If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Brown County median.
Jobs and commutes in Brown County
The biggest employer of Brown County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 26% of workers, followed by manufacturing (17%). The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 7% locally and 2% for Minnesota. Averaged over the five survey years, 2.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are the exception here: 6% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 4.9% of the total (6.7% statewide).
| Sector | Brown County | Compared with Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.2% | +0.4 pts |
| Manufacturing | 16.9% | +3.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 8.9% | -1.8 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.1% | -2.5 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 7.0% | +5.0 pts |
| Construction | 6.2% | -0.1 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Brown County housing compared with Minnesota
Renters in Brown County pay a median of $890 a month, 30% below the Minnesota figure of $1,280. 48% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 24% spend half or more. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $191,200, about 2.8 times the median household income. Owners occupy 79% of homes.
| Measure | Brown County | Minnesota | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $890/mo | $1,280/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $191,200 | $329,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 79% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 48% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 19% | 23% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 3.1% | 2.9% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Brown County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Brown County next to its neighbors
Distances run center to center, from Watonwan County at 19 miles out to Renville County at 35. Income ranges from $67,866 in Redwood County to $79,756 in Nicollet County; 5 of these neighbors top Brown County's median.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown County | - | $69,378 | $890/mo | 79% |
| Watonwan County, MN | 19 mi | $71,699 | $834/mo | 78% |
| Nicollet County, MN | 25 mi | $79,756 | $970/mo | 72% |
| Cottonwood County, MN | 28 mi | $72,941 | $817/mo | 74% |
| Redwood County, MN | 28 mi | $67,866 | $757/mo | 78% |
| Sibley County, MN | 34 mi | $77,634 | $855/mo | 81% |
| Renville County, MN | 35 mi | $70,625 | $790/mo | 80% |
Places inside Brown County
The table lists the 9 largest of 9 Census places in Brown County, by population. Together all 9 hold about 20,721 people, so roughly 20% of residents live outside any named place. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $59,434 in Springfield to $66,911 in Sleepy Eye. None of the 9 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Ulm | city | 14,056 | $64,449 | $962 | 14 mi |
| Sleepy Eye | city | 3,444 | $66,911 | $782 | 4 mi |
| Springfield | city | 2,125 | $59,434 | $820 | 12 mi |
| Hanska | city | 380 | $70,000 | n/a | 14 mi |
| Comfrey | city | 338 | $61,875 | $622 | 13 mi |
| Searles | CDP | 201 | $80,625 | n/a | 15 mi |
| Evan | city | 89 | $51,250 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Essig | CDP | 76 | n/a | n/a | 9 mi |
| Cobden | city | 12 | n/a | n/a | 6 mi |
More Brown County figures
Degree holders: 24% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 4.6%, against 4.7% for Minnesota.
| Brown County | Minnesota | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.0 | 38.8 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 24.5% | 39.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.2% | 6.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.6% | 4.7% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.9% | 6.7% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 17.6% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 9.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.9% | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Brown County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 64.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 20.4% |
| 30 to 44 min | 9.6% |
| 45 to 59 min | 2.6% |
| 60+ min | 3.1% |
Local borrowing considerations for Brown County
A few patterns in the Brown County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Renters under pressure. When 48% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
Debt-to-income at Brown County's medians
Brown County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- Start: $5,782 gross per month ($69,378 / 12)
- Median rent: $890, or 15 cents of every gross dollar
- $1,191: what a 36% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Brown County's.
Steps before you apply in Brown County
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- A Minnesota license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Licensing and complaints for Brown County
Brown County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. The Minnesota guide covers state rules in more detail.
More guides for Brown County
The Minnesota guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Brown County household make?
About $69,378 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 22% below the Minnesota median.
How does Brown County rent compare with Minnesota?
$890 locally versus $1,280 for the state, 30% below.
Which towns does the Brown County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 9 Census places: New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, Springfield, Hanska, Comfrey.
Does living in Brown County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Brown County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Who regulates personal lenders for Brown County residents?
The Minnesota Department of Commerce licenses consumer lenders in Minnesota; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.