Brown County, Nebraska Income Statistics
Brown County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Brown County Below averageLess wealthy than 80% of counties in Nebraska
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Brown County | Nebraska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $54,532 | $76,615 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $41,059 | $56,814 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.6% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.5% | 11.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.8% | 9.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Brown County is about 29% lower than in Nebraska. Income has been growing faster in Brown County (4.6%/yr) than in Nebraska (4.3%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Brown County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Nebraska average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Brown County, Nebraska grew by 107.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $54,532 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Brown County
| Metric | Brown County | Nebraska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.513 | 0.515 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $54,297 | $65,618 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $34,266 | $52,854 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 36.9% | 19.5% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Brown County, it is 0.513, about the same as Nebraska's 0.515, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 58% more than women's income in Brown County, Nebraska. Over a 35-year career, a 58% wage gap accumulates to roughly $701,085 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Brown County, Nebraska has widened from about 16% to 37% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $15,311 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Brown County widened by 20.4 points while Nebraska's narrowed by 3.1 points.
Employment
| Metric | Brown County | Nebraska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 1.7% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.6% | 11.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 8 | 16 | 22 |
Approximately 25 people are unemployed in Brown County, Nebraska.
The average commute time in Brown County is 8 minutes, shorter than the 16 minutes in Nebraska.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Brown County, Nebraska has fallen from 2.6% to 1.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 1.0% in 2013.
Brown County, NE Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Brown County, NE is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 2,869 residents against a local median of 578. Where Brown County, NE breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 48% above the local median of 1.2% at 1.7%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.6%/yr against a local median of 3.7%/yr, 26% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Brown County, NE is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 1.1% on unemployment, so Brown County, NE sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Brown County, NE has the 5th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown County, NE | 2,869 | $54,532 #6/6 | 4.6%/yr #2/6 | 1.7% #5/6 | 0.513 #4/6 |
| Rock County, NE | 1,319 | $58,845 | 2.9%/yr | 1.2% | 0.509 |
| Keya Paha County, NE | 822 | $65,000 | 5.1%/yr | 1.0% | 0.557 |
| Blaine County, NE | 422 | $67,806 | 4.0%/yr | 1.3% | 0.491 |
| Loup County, NE | 578 | $73,332 | 3.7%/yr | 1.0% | 0.535 |
| Thomas County, NE | 564 | $63,970 | 2.1%/yr | 2.1% | 0.423 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Brown County, Nebraska has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with Nebraska, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Brown County, Nebraska.
How Rich Is Brown County, Nebraska?
Brown County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $54,532, about 29% lower than the Nebraska average of $76,615.
How fast is household income rising in Brown County, Nebraska?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Brown County, Nebraska rose 107%, from $26,317 to $54,532. Over the same years, income here outpaced Nebraska as a whole: +107% against +60%.
What was the median household income in Brown County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Brown County, Nebraska was $52,182, up 18% from $44,226 in 2022. The Nebraska median that year was $74,986.
What was the median household income in Brown County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Brown County, Nebraska was $41,657. By 2024 it had risen 31% to $54,532.
How strong is the job market in Brown County, Nebraska?
Unemployment in Brown County, Nebraska is only 1.7%, well below the Nebraska rate of 3.0%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Brown County, Nebraska?
The Gini coefficient in Brown County is 0.513. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Brown County, Nebraska?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Brown County, Nebraska has widened from about 16% to 37% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $15,311 since 2009.
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