County profile · Minnesota
Brown County, MN market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Brown County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 25,517
- −1.5% since 2020
- Households
- 11,027
- Median household income
- $69,378
- +13.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $191,200
- Jobs located here
- 13,020
- Highest market score
- 63
- Dentists and orthodontists, #455 of 1,886 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Brown County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Brown County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 25,517 people live in Brown County, in 11,027 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of Brown County declined 1.5%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in Brown County is $69,378 a year, 14% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 13.5% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Brown County spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 116, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (61).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Brown County are for dentists and orthodontists (63), coffee shops and cafes (61) and pet businesses (58). Brown County ranks #455 of 1,886 scored counties for dentists and orthodontists.
Brown County is part of the New Ulm area. For its number of households, Brown County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for insurance agencies (86% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate agents and brokers (61% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Brown County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Brown County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dentists and orthodontists | 63 | #455 of 1,886 | 8 | 7.3 | $1.8M | 186 | 7 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 61 | #556 of 2,063 | 6 | 5.4 | $6.7M | 180 | 5 |
| Pet businesses | 58 | #729 of 2,200 | 11 | 10.0 | $785K | 89 | 3 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 57 | #857 of 2,394 | 50 | 45.3 | $293K | 192 | 27 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 56 | #886 of 2,405 | 41 | 37.2 | $978K | 147 | 19 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 56 | #904 of 2,405 | 84 | 76.2 | $477K | 129 | 42 |
| Pizza | 55 | #826 of 2,090 | 8 | 7.3 | $5M | 99 | 17 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 54 | #700 of 1,771 | 5 | 4.5 | $2.6M | 153 | 13 |
| Convenience stores | 51 | #1,075 of 2,261 | 9 | 8.2 | $7.2M | 91 | Under 3 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 51 | #1,093 of 2,385 | 38 | 34.5 | $272K | 128 | 8 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 51 | #1,165 of 2,402 | 23 | 20.9 | $2.8M | 83 | 6 |
| Gas stations | 49 | #1,208 of 2,358 | 14 | 12.7 | $2.2M | 94 | 12 |
| Hair salons | 49 | #1,236 of 2,339 | 23 | 20.9 | $449K | 104 | 5 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 48 | #1,113 of 2,087 | 12 | 10.9 | $1.7M | 133 | 7 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 47 | #1,194 of 2,176 | 13 | 11.8 | Index only | 209 | Under 3 |
| Spas and skin care | 46 | #1,013 of 1,769 | 9 | 8.2 | $1.1M | 131 | Under 3 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 44 | #1,335 of 2,210 | 20 | 18.1 | $1M | 115 | 7 |
| Real estate | 44 | #1,374 of 2,229 | 17 | 15.4 | Index only | 201 | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 43 | #1,408 of 2,222 | 17 | 15.4 | $2.4M | 77 | 17 |
| Funeral homes | 41 | #948 of 1,472 | 5 | 4.5 | $401K | 59 | 4 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 36 | #1,014 of 1,334 | 5 | 4.5 | $1.7M | 85 | 3 |
| Tire shops | 36 | #1,120 of 1,530 | 7 | 6.3 | $1.7M | 70 | 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 32 | #1,137 of 1,461 | 5 | 4.5 | $1.7M | 68 | Under 3 |
| Grocery stores | 32 | #1,596 of 2,070 | 10 | 9.1 | $6.5M | 69 | 6 |
| Auto repair shops | 30 | #2,013 of 2,378 | 32 | 29.0 | $382K | 86 | 22 |
| Car washes and detailing | 26 | #1,288 of 1,451 | 8 | 7.3 | $1.5M | 61 | 3 |
| Auto repair and car care | 24 | #2,192 of 2,401 | 62 | 56.2 | $197K | 73 | 29 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 23 | #1,213 of 1,327 | 7 | 6.3 | $1.7M | 57 | 7 |
| Chiropractors | 23 | #1,394 of 1,490 | 10 | 9.1 | $1.5M | 61 | 8 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 22 | #1,946 of 2,088 | 19 | 17.2 | $450K | 68 | 9 |
| Home repair trades | 21 | #1,984 of 2,057 | 16 | 14.5 | $1.8M | 73 | 31 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 18 | #1,667 of 1,707 | 10 | 9.1 | $2.8M | 60 | 14 |
| Gyms | 18 | #1,688 of 1,792 | 13 | 11.8 | $658K | 51 | 6 |
| Insurance agencies | 9 | #2,256 of 2,272 | 32 | 29.0 | $597K | 48 | 24 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.6 | $7.1M | 59 | 14 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.6 | $3.2M | 110 | 8 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.6 | $5.1M | 41 | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.6 | $3.7M | 117 | 4 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.7 | $13.4M | 323 | 5 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.7 | $3.4M | 183 | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.7 | $2.9M | 106 | 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.8 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.8 | $5.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.8 | $6.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.8 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.8 | $14.2M | Too few | 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.9 | $12.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.9 | $14.7M | Too few | 4 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.9 | $14.7M | Too few | 4 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.9 | $8.6M | Too few | 6 |
| Child care and preschools | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 6 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 5 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in Brown County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $12.2M | $1,109 | 116 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $31.4M | $2,848 | 110 |
| Food away from home | $40.1M | $3,636 | 89 |
| Groceries | $64.6M | $5,856 | 93 |
| Personal care products and services | $10.3M | $937 | 93 |
| Child care and other personal services | $3.9M | $352 | 61 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $8.6M | $776 | 79 |
| Medical and dental services | $14.7M | $1,330 | 103 |
| Pets | $8.6M | $783 | 86 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $20.3M | $1,844 | 90 |
| Vehicle insurance | $19.1M | $1,731 | 88 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $28.4M | $2,580 | 85 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $12.8M | $1,165 | 82 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $148.2M | $13,437 | 81 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Brown County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 25,517−1.5% since 2020
- Households
- 11,027
- Median age
- 42.8
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 79%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.0
- Land area
- 611 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 42
- Median household income
- $69,378+13.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $86,644
- Median home value
- $191,200
- Jobs located here
- 13,020
- Daytime population
- 27,131Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Brown County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Brown County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Minnesota 8
- Watonwan County, MN11,205 people
- Nicollet County, MN34,411 people
- Sibley County, MN15,005 people
- Blue Earth County, MN69,871 people
- Redwood County, MN15,350 people
- Renville County, MN14,558 people
- Cottonwood County, MN11,458 people
- McLeod County, MN36,798 people
Questions
How fast is Brown County, MN growing?
Population estimates put Brown County at 25,517 people in 2025, down 1.5% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 11,027 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 13.5%, before inflation.
How much do households in Brown County, MN spend?
Households in Brown County spend about $148.2M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $64.6M on groceries and $40.1M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Brown County runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 116, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (61).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Brown County, MN?
Of the business types scored in Brown County, dentists and orthodontists (63), coffee shops and cafes (61) and pet businesses (58) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For dentists and orthodontists, that ranks #455 of 1,886 scored counties.
How does Brown County, MN compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Brown County is $69,378, 14% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 1.5% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $191,200, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for insurance agencies (86% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate agents and brokers (61% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 34 of the 56 business types have a score in Brown County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Brown County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Minnesota · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in Brown County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Brown County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.