The Town FilesChallenge-Brownsville, California
Community in Yuba County · population 1,161 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $344,200
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 37.7
Challenge-Brownsville is a community of 1,161 people in Yuba County, California. The median home is worth $344,200, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 87% of California towns, quieter than 85% of California towns.
How Challenge-Brownsville ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Challenge-Brownsville is worth $344,200, below the typical California town ($596,900). Median rent is $842 a month. 82.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Challenge-Brownsville | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $344,200 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $842 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | — | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 82.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 18.6% | — |
Who lives in Challenge-Brownsville
| People | Challenge-Brownsville | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.7 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.0% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 0.0% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.1% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.8% | — |
| Work from home | 3.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | — min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in Challenge-Brownsville
July highs average 93.9°F and January lows 34.0°F. About 46.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.8 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 79 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 58 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Challenge-Brownsville since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on December 17, 1992 about 7.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 17, 1992.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on May 30, 2020.
Severe weather in Yuba County since 1996
Yuba County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
| September 9, 2020 | Fire | FM-5363: Bear Fire |
| August 22, 2020 | Fire | DR-4558: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Yuba County
Yuba County had 21,061 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,931 a year. Unemployment was 6.7% in 2023; in Challenge-Brownsville itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Challenge-Brownsville
1 public school with 116 students, about 19.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yuba Feather Elementary | K-6 | 116 | 19.3 |
Towns near Challenge-Brownsville
- Dobbins, CA8.0 mi · 551 people · home $423,400
- Bangor, CA10.0 mi · 695 people · home $378,400
- Kelly Ridge, CA11.7 mi · 3,006 people · home $277,600
- Oroville East, CA11.9 mi · 8,038 people · home $405,400
- Loma Rica, CA12.5 mi · 2,409 people · home $495,100
- Berry Creek, CA13.8 mi · 1,637 people · home $249,200
- Palermo, CA14.0 mi · 5,555 people · home $283,000
- South Oroville, CA15.0 mi · 3,235 people · home $261,500
Challenge-Brownsville questions
Is Challenge-Brownsville, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Challenge-Brownsville scores better for retirees than 66% of California towns and quieter than 85%. 9.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.7).
How much does a house cost in Challenge-Brownsville?
The median owner-occupied home in Challenge-Brownsville is valued at $344,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is $842 a month.
What is the weather like in Challenge-Brownsville?
July highs average 93.9°F and January lows 34.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.3 inches of precipitation a year and 29.8 inches of snow.
Does Challenge-Brownsville get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Challenge-Brownsville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on December 17, 1992. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)