The Town FilesBrownton, Minnesota
City in McLeod County · population 731 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $162,500
- Household income
- $79,712
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 46.5
Brownton is a city of 731 people in McLeod County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $162,500, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 100% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 84% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 83% of Minnesota towns.
How Brownton 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 Brownton is worth $162,500, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $79,712, which is more affordable than 94% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $875 a month. 90.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brownton | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $162,500 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $875 | $991 |
| Median household income | $79,712 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 90.2% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1952 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Brownton
| People | Brownton | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.5 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.4% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.7% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 3.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.8% | — |
| Work from home | 13.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 32.4 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.7% | 90.2% |
Weather in Brownton
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 3.4°F. About 31.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 50.0 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brownton since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 6, 1965 about 9.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 14, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 61 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 31, 1989.
Severe weather in McLeod County since 1996
McLeod County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| 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 |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in McLeod County
McLeod County had 15,697 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,991 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Brownton itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Towns near Brownton
- Hassan Valley, MN8.0 mi · 643 people · home $319,300
- Glencoe, MN8.2 mi · 514 people · home $338,900
- Lynn, MN9.1 mi · 519 people · home $348,900
- Glencoe, MN10.1 mi · 5,744 people · home $227,900
- Hutchinson, MN10.6 mi · 14,599 people · home $229,600
- Rich Valley, MN11.3 mi · 669 people · home $305,500
- Buffalo Lake, MN13.1 mi · 660 people · home $113,400
- Winthrop, MN13.2 mi · 1,332 people · home $169,600
Brownton questions
Is Brownton, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brownton scores better for retirees than 12% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 83%. 18.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.5).
How much does a house cost in Brownton?
The median owner-occupied home in Brownton is valued at $162,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,712, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $875 a month.
What is the weather like in Brownton?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 3.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.7 inches of precipitation a year and 50.0 inches of snow.
Does Brownton get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brownton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 6, 1965. 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)