The Town FilesBrownwood, Texas
City in Brown County · population 18,862 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $144,400
- Household income
- $48,981
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 97°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 37.6
Brownwood is a city of 18,862 people in Brown County, Texas. The median home is worth $144,400, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for cycling than 95% of Texas towns, hipper than 90% of Texas towns, more walkable than 82% of Texas towns.
How Brownwood ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brownwood is worth $144,400, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $48,981, which is more affordable than 53% of Texas towns. Median rent is $882 a month. 54.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brownwood | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $144,400 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $882 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $48,981 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 54.8% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Brownwood
| People | Brownwood | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.6 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.1% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.0% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.9% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.1% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 14.1 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.9% | 89.2% |
Weather in Brownwood
July highs average 96.5°F and January lows 31.7°F. About 30.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.3 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 116 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 55 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brownwood since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 19, 1976 about 3.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 10, 2008.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 121 times; the largest was 5.00 inches on October 13, 1960.
Severe weather in Brown County since 1996
Brown County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 17, 2024 | Flood | DR-4781: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Brown County
Brown County had 15,850 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,140 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Brownwood itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Brownwood
9 public schools with 3,566 students, about 13.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BROWNWOOD H S | 9-12 | 943 | 13.5 |
| COGGIN EL | PK-6 | 721 | 14.4 |
| NORTHWEST EL | PK-5 | 495 | 14.1 |
| WOODLAND HEIGHTS EL | PK-5 | 488 | 14.8 |
| BROWNWOOD MIDDLE | 7-8 | 468 | 12.3 |
| EAST EL | PK-5 | 307 | 12.3 |
| LONE STAR H S WEST | 8-12 | 88 | — |
| MULLIN OAKS | 8-12 | 37 | 7.4 |
| BROWNWOOD ACCELERATED H S | 11-12 | 19 | 6.3 |
Towns near Brownwood
- Early, TX3.1 mi · 3,087 people · home $179,800
- Bangs, TX9.0 mi · 1,540 people · home $111,600
- Lake Brownwood, TX10.4 mi · 1,462 people · home $130,700
- Thunderbird Bay, TX13.8 mi · 764 people · home $65,700
- Santa Anna, TX20.5 mi · 1,014 people · home $58,100
- Comanche, TX25.4 mi · 4,211 people · home $125,700
- Rising Star, TX26.6 mi · 756 people · home $39,500
- Coleman, TX27.4 mi · 3,912 people · home $71,900
Brownwood questions
Is Brownwood, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brownwood scores better for retirees than 37% of Texas towns and quieter than 27%. 17.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.6).
How much does a house cost in Brownwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Brownwood is valued at $144,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,981, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $882 a month.
What is the weather like in Brownwood?
July highs average 96.5°F and January lows 31.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.6 inches of precipitation a year and 1.3 inches of snow.
Does Brownwood get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brownwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on April 19, 1976. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- 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)