1st Advantage MortgageIn Brown County, Wisconsin, the typical household earns $79,649 a year and the typical rent is $1,031. Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Wisconsin before sharing details.
On this page
- A quick profile of Brown County
- Brown County housing compared with Wisconsin
- Household income in Brown County
- How Brown County residents earn a living
- Brown County next to its neighbors
- The communities that make up Brown County
- What a median Brown County budget can carry
- Borrowing situations common in Brown County
- More Brown County figures
- Checking a lender's license in Wisconsin
- A Brown County borrower's checklist
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Brown County
Brown County is home to about 270,892 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 4th most populous of 72 county-level areas in Wisconsin. Land area is 530 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 511 per square mile. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Green Bay, WI metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. The Census Bureau counts 13 places in the county (11 incorporated, 2 census-designated); the largest is Green Bay, with about 106,253 residents, or 39% of the county.
Brown County housing compared with Wisconsin
A typical Brown County rental runs $1,031 a month including utilities, which is 5% below Wisconsin. By the Census definition, 41% of Brown County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $266,000, about 3.3 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 66%. The median year built is 1981.
| Cost | Brown County | Wisconsin figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,031/mo | $1,087/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $266,000 | $266,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 66% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 41% | 44% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 19% | 22% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 4% | 11% | n/a |
Household income in Brown County
The median household income in Brown County is $79,649; statewide it is $77,485, so Brown County runs 3% above Wisconsin as a whole. That places it 16th among Wisconsin's 72 county-level areas.
| Band | Brown County | Compared with Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 18.8% | -1.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.0% | +1.0 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 29.2% | +0.7 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.0% | -0.2 pts |
Some 19% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 38% have six-figure incomes. 9.1% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 10.6%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.436 (0 is perfect equality). None of these numbers decides a Brown County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
How Brown County residents earn a living
By the Census industry count, 23% of employed Brown County residents work in education and health care and 18% in manufacturing. The survey's unemployment rate for Brown County averages 2.6% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 3.2%). About 77% drive to work alone and 7% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Households without a car make up 5.1% of the total (6.4% statewide).
| Sector | Brown County | Compared with Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.5% | -0.8 pts |
| Manufacturing | 18.3% | +0.4 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.7% | -0.4 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.9% | -0.6 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.9% | +0.6 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 7.5% | +1.4 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Brown County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Brown County next to its neighbors
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Brown County's, from 23 to 43 miles away. Calumet County leads the group on income ($88,810), Manitowoc County trails ($69,148), and Brown County out-earns 3 of the six.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown County | - | $79,649 | $1,031/mo | 66% |
| Outagamie County, WI | 23 mi | $85,069 | $1,057/mo | 71% |
| Kewaunee County, WI | 28 mi | $82,725 | $847/mo | 86% |
| Calumet County, WI | 29 mi | $88,810 | $1,073/mo | 80% |
| Manitowoc County, WI | 30 mi | $69,148 | $797/mo | 77% |
| Oconto County, WI | 38 mi | $75,049 | $791/mo | 85% |
| Winnebago County, WI | 43 mi | $74,925 | $965/mo | 66% |
The communities that make up Brown County
Here are the 13 most populous of the county's 13 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 87% of Brown County residents live in one of the 13. Suamico has the highest median household income on the list ($118,337) and Green Bay the lowest ($66,206), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Greenleaf ($826) and steepest in Hobart ($1,278). No Brown County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 13.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay | city | 106,253 | $66,206 | $932 | 3 mi |
| De Pere | city | 25,301 | $84,869 | $1,053 | 5 mi |
| Howard | village | 21,087 | $85,477 | $1,102 | 8 mi |
| Ashwaubenon | village | 17,314 | $69,667 | $964 | 5 mi |
| Bellevue | village | 16,442 | $84,672 | $1,154 | 2 mi |
| Allouez | village | 13,975 | $91,250 | $1,114 | 1 mi |
| Suamico | village | 12,985 | $118,337 | $1,188 | 11 mi |
| Hobart | village | 10,610 | $103,440 | $1,278 | 8 mi |
| Pulaski | village | 4,006 | $71,473 | $891 | 18 mi |
| Wrightstown | village | 3,322 | $93,125 | $1,266 | 13 mi |
| Denmark | village | 2,558 | $75,714 | $906 | 12 mi |
| Greenleaf | CDP | 865 | $83,333 | $826 | 12 mi |
| Dyckesville | CDP | 391 | $102,125 | $1,100 | 16 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
What a median Brown County budget can carry
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.
- $79,649 a year is $6,637 of gross monthly income
- Less median rent of $1,031, which is 16% of it
- With a 40% ceiling, about $1,624 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Borrowing situations common in Brown County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Brown County borrowers.
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
More Brown County figures
34% of Brown County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 5.1%, against 5.2% for Wisconsin.
| People and households | Brown County | Wisconsin | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.2 | 40.2 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 33.5% | 33.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.4% | 6.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.1% | 5.2% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.1% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 12.6% | 13.1% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 10.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.6% | 3.2% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Brown County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 36.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 46.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 9.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.3% |
| 60+ min | 3.8% |
Checking a lender's license in Wisconsin
Before sharing details with a lender, a Brown County resident can confirm its license with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. Statewide data and rules: Wisconsin guide.
A Brown County borrower's checklist
Steps that save money for Brown County residents:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Brown County.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Wisconsin guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Brown County a high-income county?
Its $79,649 median ranks 16th of 72 Wisconsin counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
Is Brown County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,031 against $1,087 statewide, and 41% of renter households are cost-burdened.
I live in a small Brown County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Green Bay, De Pere, Howard, Ashwaubenon, Bellevue and 8 more.
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.
Is there a Brown County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Wisconsin it is the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.