The Town Files

Brown County, Illinois

6,322 people. The median home is worth $150,300 (typical Illinois town: $156,600) and the median household earns $67,917.

Towns in Brown County

Towns in Brown County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Mount Sterling2,006$131,200$59,08735.3

People and housing

Brown CountyTypical Illinois town
Median home value$150,300$156,600
Median rent$698$960
Median household income$67,917$72,500
Median age41.040.4
Bachelor's degree or higher12.6%21.8%
Below the poverty line9.2%9.9%

Jobs and pay

4,791 jobs in 2024, average pay $64,340 a year.

Largest industries in Brown CountyRetail103 jobs · $25,013Construction53 jobs · $46,973Professional & technical serv…31 jobs · $35,171Agriculture, forestry & fishi…23 jobs · $52,952Administrative & support18 jobs · $32,443
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Brown County0%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023 2.4%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 236 storm events in Brown County from 1996 to 2026, with 1 deaths.

Storm events in Brown County by type since 1996Hail44Heat17Flood7Drought5High Wind6Ice Storm6Heavy Snow9Flash Flood11Winter Storm31Excessive Heat24
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Brown County has been included in 16 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 26, 2020BiologicalDR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3435: Covid-19
May 10, 2013FloodDR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
March 17, 2011SnowstormDR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
December 29, 2006SnowstormEM-3269: Snow
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).