The Town FilesBrownsdale, Minnesota
City in Mower County · population 633 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $148,600
- Household income
- $77,614
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 43.3
Brownsdale is a city of 633 people in Mower County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $148,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 99% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 95% of Minnesota towns, better transit than 81% of Minnesota towns.
How Brownsdale ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brownsdale is worth $148,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $77,614, which is more affordable than 95% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $739 a month. 88.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brownsdale | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $148,600 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $739 | $991 |
| Median household income | $77,614 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 88.9% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Brownsdale
| People | Brownsdale | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.3 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.8% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.4% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 11.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 8.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 26.1 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.0% | 90.2% |
Weather in Brownsdale
July highs average 80.8°F and January lows 5.4°F. About 36.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.4 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brownsdale since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 17, 2009 about 6.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 50 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 24, 1989.
Severe weather in Mower County since 1996
Mower County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| June 12, 2019 | Flood | DR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| October 13, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1941: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Mower County
Mower County had 16,932 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,042 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Brownsdale itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Towns near Brownsdale
- Red Rock, MN1.6 mi · 723 people · home $319,400
- Lansing, MN6.7 mi · 906 people · home $265,400
- Austin, MN7.2 mi · 26,174 people · home $163,900
- Windom, MN7.6 mi · 520 people · home $221,400
- Austin, MN10.2 mi · 881 people · home $229,800
- Hayfield, MN10.4 mi · 1,364 people · home $186,600
- Vernon, MN12.3 mi · 665 people · home $370,800
- Moscow, MN12.3 mi · 538 people · home $202,800
Brownsdale questions
Is Brownsdale, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brownsdale scores better for retirees than 50% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 77%. 21.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.3).
How much does a house cost in Brownsdale?
The median owner-occupied home in Brownsdale is valued at $148,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,614, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $739 a month.
What is the weather like in Brownsdale?
July highs average 80.8°F and January lows 5.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.2 inches of precipitation a year and 43.4 inches of snow.
Does Brownsdale get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brownsdale since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 17, 2009. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- 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)