The Town FilesBrownsville, Oregon
City in Linn County · population 1,694 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $373,000
- Household income
- $83,098
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 40.6
Brownsville is a city of 1,694 people in Linn County, Oregon. The median home is worth $373,000, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks quieter than 88% of Oregon towns, better for cycling than 82% of Oregon towns, easier by car than 76% of Oregon towns.
How Brownsville ranks
Percentile among Oregon towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Oregon towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brownsville is worth $373,000, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $83,098, which is more affordable than 70% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,665 a month. 85.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brownsville | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $373,000 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,665 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $83,098 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 85.1% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Brownsville
| People | Brownsville | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.3% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.6% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.0% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 9.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.6% | 92.4% |
Weather in Brownsville
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 34.3°F. About 54.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.9 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 55 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brownsville since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Oregon town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on June 18, 2023 about 7.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on June 4, 2009.
Severe weather in Linn County since 1996
Linn County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4907: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4768: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 4, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4599: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 15, 2020 | Fire | DR-4562: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| September 10, 2020 | Fire | EM-3542: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Linn County
Linn County had 48,603 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,436 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Brownsville itself the ACS puts it at 1.1%.
Towns near Brownsville
- Halsey, OR6.3 mi · 962 people · home $330,300
- South Lebanon, OR8.9 mi · 1,228 people · home $400,800
- Lebanon, OR10.3 mi · 18,447 people · home $336,800
- Harrisburg, OR12.2 mi · 3,652 people · home $320,900
- Tangent, OR12.4 mi · 1,231 people · home $377,300
- Sweet Home, OR13.9 mi · 9,828 people · home $273,300
- Marcola, OR16.2 mi · 580 people · home $338,800
- Junction City, OR16.4 mi · 6,787 people · home $421,900
Brownsville questions
Is Brownsville, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brownsville scores better for retirees than 74% of Oregon towns and quieter than 88%. 22.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.6).
How much does a house cost in Brownsville?
The median owner-occupied home in Brownsville is valued at $373,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $83,098, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $1,665 a month.
What is the weather like in Brownsville?
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 34.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 54.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.9 inches of snow.
Does Brownsville get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brownsville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on June 18, 2023. The typical Oregon 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)