The Town Files

Brown County, Minnesota

25,800 people. The median home is worth $191,200 (typical Minnesota town: $301,800) and the median household earns $69,378.

Towns in Brown County

Towns in Brown County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
New Ulm14,120$204,200$64,44939.3
Sleepy Eye3,452$147,600$66,91140.1

People and housing

Brown CountyTypical Minnesota town
Median home value$191,200$301,800
Median rent$890$991
Median household income$69,378$87,375
Median age42.042.7
Bachelor's degree or higher24.5%26.2%
Below the poverty line8.5%6.9%

Jobs and pay

13,221 jobs in 2024, average pay $55,442 a year.

Largest industries in Brown CountyManufacturing2,367 jobs · $70,898Health care & social assistan…1,968 jobs · $56,168Retail1,537 jobs · $34,285Hotels & restaurants967 jobs · $17,176Transportation & warehousing784 jobs · $46,715Construction621 jobs · $73,778
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Brown County0%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023 2.9%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 449 storm events in Brown County from 1996 to 2026, with 3 deaths.

Storm events in Brown County by type since 1996Hail91Flood15Tornado21Blizzard35High Wind16Heavy Snow13Winter Storm64Excessive Heat6Winter Weather17Cold/Wind Chill8
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Brown County has been included in 20 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 28, 2024FloodDR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding
April 7, 2020BiologicalDR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3453: Covid-19
June 12, 2019FloodDR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
September 5, 2018FloodDR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
July 21, 2014FloodDR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).