The Town FilesBrownstown, Illinois
Village in Fayette County · population 690 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $72,900
- Household income
- $53,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 34.0
Brownstown is a village of 690 people in Fayette County, Illinois. The median home is worth $72,900, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 87% of Illinois towns.
How Brownstown ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brownstown is worth $72,900, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $53,000, which is more affordable than 93% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $886 a month. 56.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brownstown | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $72,900 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $886 | $960 |
| Median household income | $53,000 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 56.8% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Brownstown
| People | Brownstown | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.0 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.0% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4.1% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.8% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.4% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.3% | 90.4% |
Weather in Brownstown
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 21.3°F. About 41.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 14.4 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 105 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brownstown since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 5, 1958 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 30, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 25, 1989.
Severe weather in Fayette County since 1996
Fayette County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| December 13, 2021 | Tornado | EM-3577: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| November 26, 2013 | Tornado | DR-4157: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Fayette County
Fayette County had 5,030 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,171 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in Brownstown itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in Brownstown
3 public schools with 426 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brownstown Elem School | PK-6 | 271 | 14.3 |
| Brownstown High School | 9-12 | 94 | 11.8 |
| Brownstown Jr High School | 7-8 | 61 | 12.2 |
Towns near Brownstown
- St. Elmo, IL5.9 mi · 1,254 people · home $82,600
- Vandalia, IL8.5 mi · 7,458 people · home $98,500
- Altamont, IL12.0 mi · 2,216 people · home $129,800
- Ramsey, IL13.4 mi · 911 people · home $65,800
- Farina, IL14.7 mi · 540 people · home $83,800
- Kinmundy, IL16.3 mi · 733 people · home $95,400
- Mulberry Grove, IL17.1 mi · 520 people · home $88,800
- Patoka, IL18.2 mi · 525 people · home $89,200
Brownstown questions
Is Brownstown, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brownstown scores better for retirees than 20% of Illinois towns and quieter than 87%. 24.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.0).
How much does a house cost in Brownstown?
The median owner-occupied home in Brownstown is valued at $72,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,000, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $886 a month.
What is the weather like in Brownstown?
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 21.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.2 inches of precipitation a year and 14.4 inches of snow.
Does Brownstown get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brownstown since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 5, 1958. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- 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)