Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 674, settled in 1870.
4.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Brownstown, below both Illinois’ towns (29%) and U.S. towns (29%). Floyd and Glenora Dycus House is on the National Register of Historic Places. Brownstown has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 121 in 1880, 690 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2013 and 2 maps from 1945 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Brownstown, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Brownstown.
Brownstown’s rent at the middle of the market comes in at $886 a month. In Brownstown, 57% of households are owner-occupiers, where Illinois’ towns sit at 75% and U.S. towns at 73%. Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 3.8% in value.
| Brownstown | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 57% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $886 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The top destinations are Vandalia (15%), St. Elmo (10%) and Effingham (7%). The share of residents in Brownstown who live below the poverty line: 20%. Jobs based in Brownstown grew to 209 in 2023, 20 more than in 2013. Also worth knowing: the middle household income for Brownstown comes to $53,000.
| Brownstown | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 20% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $53,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expect July afternoons of 87° and January nights of 21°, with about 13 inches of snow a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Compared with 64% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Brownstown is higher. 45% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by earthquakes at 13%. Households here have drawn federal disaster aid once, in 2013.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
38% of Brownstown adults sleep under 7 hours. Two figures for adults locally: 18% report frequent mental distress, 16% smoke cigarettes.
| Brownstown | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 35% | 36% |
| What stands out | Brownstown | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.6% | 10.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.3% | 6.3% |
| More smokers | 15.8% | 12.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Brownstown; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Brownstown residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
Where Brownstown’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Village in Illinois, United States
Brownstown is a village in Fayette County, Illinois, United States. The population was 690 at the 2020 census, down from 759 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Brownstown has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.