Brown County, Ohio: commercial real estate data.
Brown County, Ohio had an estimated 44,292 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 43,681, across 490 square miles. County output reached $1.21 bn in 2024, 561 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 37 7(a) approvals worth $14.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Brown County
How many people live in Brown County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202443,845
- Households17,138
- Average household size2.56
- Median household income$71,270
- Median age42.5
- Median gross rent$817 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$196,200
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher15.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over30,715
- Population under 189,983
- Share under 1822.8 percent
- Population 65 and over8,392
- Share 65 and over19.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6425,470
- Civilian labor force20,042
- Unemployment rate4.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.2 percent
- Rank by population among Ohio counties55th of 88
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1120th of 3,222
Brown County is the 55th largest of 88 Ohio counties by population. A median home costs 2.8 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.8 percent against 19.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Brown County
Is Brown County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202444,292
- Census 2020 base population43,681
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.40 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024458
- Births, 2024516
- Deaths, 2024605
- Natural change, 2024-89
- Net domestic migration, 2024516
- Net international migration, 202439
- Total net migration, 2024555
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,148
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1370th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.40 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Brown County
Where are people moving to Brown County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,150
- People arriving, from those returns2,174
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,061
- Net household movement89
- Adjusted gross income arriving$60.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$8.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$52,210
- Average income of a leaving household$48,590
- Largest single originClermont County (478 households)
- Largest single destinationClermont County (458 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clermont County | 478 | 916 | $22.8 m |
| Hamilton County | 109 | 214 | $6.4 m |
| Adams County | 81 | 139 | $4.1 m |
| Highland County | 66 | 141 | $3.0 m |
| Warren County | 40 | 72 | $2.4 m |
| Mason County | 32 | 62 | $874,000 |
| Clinton County | 30 | 67 | $1.5 m |
| Butler County | 28 | 49 | $2.3 m |
Households arriving report $3,620 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Clermont County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Brown County
What is the Brown County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.21 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.16 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.0 percent
- GDP change over five years32.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Ohio areas BEA publishes78th of 88
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1688th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$27,534
Output grew 4.0 percent in the latest year and 32.9 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Brown County
Employment by industry in Brown County
- Covered employment, annual average7,943
- Establishments reporting764
- Average annual pay$43,810
- Average weekly wage$842
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,265
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$43,126
- Retail trade, employment1,028
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,183
- Accommodation and food services, employment939
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,570
- Manufacturing, employment712
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$55,395
- Construction, employment297
- Other services, except public administration, employment266
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 1,265 | 96 | $43,126 |
| Retail trade | 1,028 | 104 | $33,183 |
| Accommodation and food services | 939 | 59 | $18,570 |
| Manufacturing | 712 | 32 | $55,395 |
| Construction | 297 | 82 | $61,538 |
| Other services, except public administration | 266 | 76 | $31,650 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 199 | 31 | $61,376 |
| Finance and insurance | 191 | 36 | $56,414 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,265 jobs, 15.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Brown County
How many businesses are in Brown County?
- Establishments, all industries561
- Employment at those establishments5,873
- Annual payroll$224.9 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents12.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Brown County
Building permits in Brown County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024147
- Declared construction value permitted$51.0 m
- Single family units authorized143
- Multifamily units authorized4
- Multifamily share of units2.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$346,800
- Units authorized per 1,000 households8.6
Single-family homes are 97.3 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Brown County
SBA loans in Brown County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded37
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$14.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$399,370
- Median 7(a) approval$112,000
- 10th percentile approval$21,200
- 90th percentile approval$1,136,800
- Largest single approval$3,375,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)256
- Jobs per approval6.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active14
- Distinct industries receiving approvals23
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer13.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter26
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals2.7 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGeneral Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (4)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (10)
- 504 approvals recorded4
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.5 m
- Average 504 approval$386,000
- Median 504 approval$316,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval7.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved20.1
- Most active CDCAlloy Development Co., Inc. (4)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$16.3 m
The average approval of $399,370 sits well above the median of $112,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 13.5 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Brown County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Brown County
Do SBA loans in Brown County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded16
- Paid in full13
- Charged off3
- Status: Paid in full13
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure15
- Status: Charged off3
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Only 16 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Brown County
SBA lending by place in Brown County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending10
- Mount Orab, approvals9
- Georgetown, approvals6
- Sardinia, approvals6
- Hamersville, approvals5
- Blanchester, approvals3
- Winchester, approvals3
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Orab | 9 | $5,829,400 |
| Georgetown | 6 | $4,438,000 |
| Sardinia | 6 | $1,262,000 |
| Hamersville | 5 | $383,100 |
| Blanchester | 3 | $287,000 |
| Winchester | 3 | $60,900 |
| Ripley | 2 | $900,000 |
| Aberdeen | 1 | $1,192,000 |
| 2 other borrower cities | 2 | $424,300 |
Mount Orab accounts for 9 approvals against 6 in Georgetown. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Brown County
How large is Brown County?
- Land area490 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Ohio counties29th of 88
- Width, east to west20.5 mi
- Height, north to south42.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land89
- Establishments per square mile1.14
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Brown County
Flood risk in Brown County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Brown County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 390034
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate77.8 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Brown County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Brown County (community 390034), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Brown County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 77.8 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Brown County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Brown County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202443,845
- Households17,138
- Average household size2.56
- Median household income$71,270
- Median age42.5
Common questions
Brown County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Brown County, Ohio?
The Census Bureau estimates 44,292 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 43,845, in 17,138 households, ranking 55th of 88 Ohio counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Brown County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.40 percent since the 2020 census base of 43,681, to 44,292 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 516 births against 605 deaths, with net migration of 555. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Brown County?
$71,270. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $196,200, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $817 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Brown County?
561 establishments, employing 5,873 people with an annual payroll of $224.9 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Brown County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,265 jobs, 15.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 7,943 jobs at an average annual pay of $43,810, or $842 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Brown County?
37 7(a) approvals totaling $14.8 m since FY2020, across 14 lenders, with a median approval of $112,000, plus 4 504 approvals worth $1.5 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Brown County?
147 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $51.0 m. Multifamily was 2.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Brown County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Brown County come from?
The largest single origin is Clermont County, with 478 households. Arriving households report an average income of $52,210 against $48,590 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Brown County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Brown County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Brown County
Cities and places in Brown.
12 Census places lie wholly or partly in Brown County. All 12 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Orab | village | 4,987 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Georgetown | village | 3,899 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Lorelei | CDP | 1,746 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ripley | village | 1,610 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Aberdeen | village | 1,517 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Waynoka | CDP | 1,266 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Sardinia | village | 1,138 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Hamersville | village | 918 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Russellville | village | 717 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fayetteville | village | 324 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Higginsport | village | 278 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| St. Martin | CDP | 171 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 7 of the county's 37 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Brown County, the largest being Blanchester (3), Winchester (3), Jackson Township (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.