The typical owner-occupied home in Brown County is worth about $191,200, 42% below the Minnesota median of $329,300 and 43% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,976 a year in property taxes, about 1.03% of their home's value, close to the Minnesota rate of 1.02%. The median household earns $69,378 a year, so the median home costs 2.8 times the median income (3.7 times for Minnesota). 79% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 53% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Brown County at a glance
| Brown County | Minnesota | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $191,200 | $329,300 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,976 | $3,357 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.03% | 1.02% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $69,378 | $89,062 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 79% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 53% | 64% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,392 | $1,947 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.3% | 19.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $890 | $1,280 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 28.9% | 29.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1963 | 1979 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 6.8% | 9.3% | 10.1% |
| Population | 25,800 | 5,739,445 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Brown County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Brown County home of $191,200 with 20% down costs about $1,273 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,591, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $54,546 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 22% of the median Brown County household income of $69,378; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $243,000.
The median rent here is $890 a month, so owning the median home costs about $383 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $38,240 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $152,960 |
| Principal and interest | $1,029 |
| Property taxes (1.03% a year) | $164 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $80 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,273 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $6,692 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $187,737 |
| Principal and interest | $1,263 |
| Property taxes (1.03% a year) | $164 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $80 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $85 |
| Total per month | $1,591 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Brown County
What is the median home value in Brown County?
About $191,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Brown County?
Homeowners pay a median $1,976 a year, which is about 1.03% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Brown County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,273 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $54,546 a year.
More about Brown County
- Mortgage Refinance in Brown County
- Debt Relief in Brown County
- Home Equity Loans in Brown County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data