Population 2,869 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Brown County
Household size in Brown County
| Period | Brown County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.24 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.02 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.14 | 2.51 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.22 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Brown County are small: just 2.22 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Brown County has smaller households than at least four in five Nebraska counties.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Brown County
| Period | Brown County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.8 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 48.0 | 37.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 49.1 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.3 | 38.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.5 | +0.9 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.3, Brown County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has dropped from 47.8 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Brown County
| Period | Brown County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.1% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Brown County: 6.4% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Brown County
Renters in Brown County
| Period | Brown County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.7% | 31.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.9% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.6% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.8% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a quarter of households in Brown County rent their homes (25.8%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 57.7% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Brown County
| Period | Brown County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.1% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.2% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 26.4% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.8% | 7.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Brown County: 22.8% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Brown County has a higher vacancy rate than at least four in five Nebraska counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Brown County
| Period | Brown County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1953 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1963 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1959 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +6 |
Brown County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1959, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Brown County
| Period | Brown County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $412 | $730 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $461 | $805 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $529 | $911 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $888 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$476 | +$429 | +$606 |
The median renter in Brown County pays $888 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 35.1% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Compared with other Nebraska counties, though, Brown County has higher rents than most.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Brown County
Bachelor's degrees in Brown County
| Period | Brown County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.7% | 29.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.3% | 30.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.8% | 32.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.9% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.2 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Brown County: 23.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Brown County
| Period | Brown County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.7% | 90.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.7% | 90.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.3% | 91.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.5% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +1.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Brown County have finished high school (92.5%), above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Nebraska.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Brown County
| Period | Brown County | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.9% | 5.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 0.8% | 5.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.5% | 3.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.6% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Brown County has been low: just 1.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Brown County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown County | 2.22 | 45.3 | 6.4% | 25.8% | 22.8% | 1959 | $888 | 23.9% | 92.5% | 1.6% |
| Rock County | 2.25 | 48.4 | 3.0% | 30.7% | 27.4% | 1968 | $648 | 27.4% | 92.1% | 1.0% |
| Holt County | 2.52 | 43.2 | 7.5% | 27.7% | 17.1% | 1965 | $757 | 29.6% | 94.1% | 1.1% |
| Knox County | 2.42 | 44.7 | 8.5% | 21.6% | 23.5% | 1963 | $634 | 18.9% | 92.5% | 3.7% |
| Cedar County | 2.38 | 43.7 | 5.3% | 20.4% | 12.1% | 1963 | $710 | 23.7% | 96.4% | 1.7% |
| Dixon County | 2.56 | 42.7 | 12.1% | 23.5% | 12.1% | 1953 | $688 | 23.1% | 84.5% | 2.4% |
| Union County | 2.33 | 41.0 | 7.4% | 26.9% | 4.2% | 1989 | $1,078 | 37.7% | 96.0% | 3.1% |
| Dakota County | 2.94 | 34.0 | 12.7% | 36.1% | 6.5% | 1970 | $1,051 | 14.4% | 78.7% | 4.7% |
| Woodbury County | 2.63 | 37.1 | 15.0% | 31.8% | 8.1% | 1960 | $1,067 | 23.7% | 87.4% | 4.0% |
| Sioux County | 2.39 | 40.5 | 3.3% | 40.4% | 27.8% | 1958 | $759 | 22.2% | 94.3% | 1.5% |
| Buena Vista County | 2.67 | 36.9 | 10.7% | 26.8% | 8.7% | 1964 | $926 | 21.7% | 80.6% | 5.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: St. Clair County, MO · Sumter County, AL · Summers County, WV · Sullivan County, MO · Storey County, NV · Kalawao County, HI · Stone County, AR · Stewart County, GA · Cochran County, TX · Stark County, IL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Brown County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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