The Town FilesBrown Deer, Wisconsin
Village in Milwaukee County · population 12,507 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $239,300
- Household income
- $93,974
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 40.5
Brown Deer is a village of 12,507 people in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $239,300, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more walkable than 98% of Wisconsin towns, more vibrant than 98% of Wisconsin towns, better for young professionals than 97% of Wisconsin towns.
How Brown Deer ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brown Deer is worth $239,300, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $93,974, which is more affordable than 86% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,183 a month. 65.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brown Deer | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $239,300 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,183 | $951 |
| Median household income | $93,974 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 65.2% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Brown Deer
| People | Brown Deer | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.5 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.1% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.9% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.3% | — |
| Work from home | 22.5% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.5% | 89.1% |
Weather in Brown Deer
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 14.1°F. About 33.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.5 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 134 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brown Deer since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 4, 1980 about 2.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 10, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 86 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 23, 2004.
Severe weather in Milwaukee County since 1996
Milwaukee County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 11, 2025 | Flood | DR-4892: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| March 11, 2020 | Flood | DR-4477: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Milwaukee County
Milwaukee County had 469,055 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,142 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Brown Deer itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Public schools in Brown Deer
2 public schools with 1,647 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown Deer Middle/High | 6-12 | 925 | 13.6 |
| Brown Deer Elementary | PK-5 | 722 | 15.7 |
Towns near Brown Deer
- Mequon, WI3.3 mi · 25,142 people · home $501,600
- Bayside, WI3.7 mi · 4,482 people · home $431,900
- Fox Point, WI3.9 mi · 6,934 people · home $444,700
- Glendale, WI4.1 mi · 13,357 people · home $282,800
- Thiensville, WI4.2 mi · 3,290 people · home $352,100
- Whitefish Bay, WI5.7 mi · 14,954 people · home $533,800
- Shorewood, WI7.3 mi · 13,859 people · home $443,700
- Menomonee Falls, WI7.5 mi · 38,527 people · home $368,000
Brown Deer questions
Is Brown Deer, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brown Deer scores better for retirees than 5% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 4%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.5).
How much does a house cost in Brown Deer?
The median owner-occupied home in Brown Deer is valued at $239,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $93,974, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $1,183 a month.
What is the weather like in Brown Deer?
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 14.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.8 inches of precipitation a year and 39.5 inches of snow.
Does Brown Deer get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brown Deer since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 4, 1980. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- 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)