Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety23#713/924
Economy30#648/925
Housing23#717/925
Health31#641/925
Healthcare16#779/923
Environment57#395/917
Education24#702/925
Infrastructure39#567/925
Community37#585/925
Leisure & amenities23#712/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Brownwood, TX micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Pharmacies · high2.8 /10k
96/100Texas 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Social associations · high15.2 /10k
88/100Texas 7.3 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Comfortable days · high31.3%
87/100Texas 30.7%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties
Average commute time · low18.9 min
86/100Texas 26.7 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013
Child care cost burden · low22.8%
85/100Texas 24.5%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
New homes permitted · high6.0 /1k
82/100Texas 6.3 /1kUnited States 4.2 /1kSep 2025–Aug 2026U.S. Census BureauProvisional data

Weaknesses

Rent as share of income · high34.3%
5/100Texas 30.9%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071
Hot days · high106 days
6/100Texas 111 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties
Uninsured residents (under 65) · high19.4%
6/100Texas 19.1%United States 9.8%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B27010
Grocery stores · low0.8 /10k
6/100Texas 1.1 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Distance to an airport · high131 mi
6/100Texas 33 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Rent-burdened households · high56.5%
8/100Texas 51.7%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Traffic deathsWorsening
9.0 /100k (2015-2019) → 19.8 /100k (2020-2024)
+120%5 yearsUS 11.3 /100k → 12.3 /100k
Arts, entertainment and recreationImproving
2.4 /10k (2020) → 4.1 /10k (2025)
+75%5 yearsUS 4.8 /10k → 5.5 /10k
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
41.8% (2015-2019) → 56.5% (2020-2024)
+15 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Access to exercise opportunitiesImproving
49.0% (2010 & 2021) → 63.7% (2022 & 2024)
+15 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%
New business applicationsImproving
6.1 /1k (2020) → 10.5 /1k (2025)
+73%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
75.8% (2015-2019) → 87.3% (2020-2024)
+11 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Brownwood, TX micropolitan area improved on 11 of 30 measures with a comparison and declined on 7. 6 moved within the margin of error and 6 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved11

Arts & recreation+75%2.4 /10k → 4.1 /10k
Restaurants+22%5.5 /10k → 6.7 /10k
Gyms+47%0.5 /10k → 0.8 /10k
New businesses+73%6.1 /1k → 10.5 /1k
Broadband+11 points75.8% → 87.3%

Declined7

Traffic deaths+120%9.0 /100k → 19.8 /100k
Rent / income+7.9 points26.4% → 34.3%
Rent burden+15 points41.8% → 56.5%
Child poverty+6.4 points16.4% → 22.8%
Commute+2.6 min16.3 min → 18.9 min

All 30 measures

Change of every measure of Brownwood, TX micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	2.4 /10k2020	4.1 /10k2025	+75%	Improved	99%
Average commute time	16.3 min2015-2019	18.9 min2020-2024	+2.6 min	Declined	8%
Average weekly wage	$7732020	$9682025	+25%	Improved	68%
Bachelor's degree or higher	19.1%2015-2019	20.2%2020-2024	+1 points	Within the margin of error	17%
Broadband subscriptions	75.8%2015-2019	87.3%2020-2024	+11 points	Improved	74%
Child poverty rate	16.4%2015-2019	22.8%2020-2024	+6.4 points	Declined	2%
Distance to an airport	131 mi2020	131 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	11.1 /100k2020	11.0 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−0.9%	Little change	28%
Effective property tax rate	1.20%2015-2019	1.13%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	30%
Firearm deaths	15.8 /100k2020	15.9 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+0.6%	Little change	48%
Grocery stores	0.8 /10k2020	0.8 /10k2025	−1.7%	Little change	43%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.5 /10k2020	0.8 /10k2025	+47%	Improved	87%
High school diploma or higher	87.2%2015-2019	88.3%2020-2024	+1 points	Within the margin of error	30%
Home price to income ratio	2.1×2015-2019	2.8×2020-2024	+0.6×	Declined	30%
Income adjusted for local prices	$44,7402019	$58,9642024	+32%	Improved	52%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4772015-2019	0.4532020-2024	−0.024	Within the margin of error	92%
Median household income	$48,3652015-2019	$57,4702020-2024	+19%	Improved	11%
New business applications	6.1 /1k2020	10.5 /1k2025	+73%	Improved	82%
Pharmacies	3.4 /10k2020	2.8 /10k2025	−17%	Declined	28%
Poverty rate	12.6%2015-2019	15.3%2020-2024	+2.7 points	Within the margin of error	4%
Property crime rate	2,470 /100k2020	1,671 /100k2025	−32%	Improved	47%
Public libraries	0.5 /10k2019	0.5 /10k2024	−2.5%	Little change	42%
Rent as share of income	26.4%2015-2019	34.3%2020-2024	+7.9 points	Declined	1%
Rent-burdened households	41.8%2015-2019	56.5%2020-2024	+15 points	Declined	1%
Restaurants and bars	5.5 /10k2020	6.7 /10k2025	+22%	Improved	94%
Suicide rate	19.0 /100k2020	19.9 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+4.7%	Little change	50%
Traffic deaths	9.0 /100k2015-2019	19.8 /100k2020-2024	+120%	Declined	1%
Unemployment rate	6.0%2020	3.9%2025	−2.1 points	Improved	25%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	17.7%2015-2019	19.4%2020-2024	+1.7 points	Within the margin of error	12%
Violent crime rate	412 /100k2020	368 /100k2025	−11%	Improved	41%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Brownwood, TX micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Brownwood, TX micropolitan area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Brownwood, TX micropolitan area itself moved −10.5 points in standing on average over the same 30 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

38,347 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

14,972 households (±381)

Brownwood, TX micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k21%3,160
$25k–50k24%3,550
$50k–75k18%2,710

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

14,972 households (±381)

Brownwood, TX micropolitan area
United States share

Own68%10,223
Rent32%4,749

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (−4.2 points).

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

16,568 workers (±641)

Brownwood, TX micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone79%13,096
Carpool13%2,235
Public transit0.9%†150

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for Brownwood, TX micropolitan area.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Brownwood, TX has 885 employer establishments, 230 for every 10,000 residents (0.93× the US rate of 248), with 13,746 paid employees at an average annual pay of $41,462. The Census Bureau also counts 2,967 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 885; 2,967 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 230; US 248
Paid employees: 13,746
Average annual pay: $41,462; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Brownwood, TX by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	71	18.5	1.01×About typical	1,379	$18,880	27
Ambulatory health care services	68	17.7	0.85×About typical	1,329	$36,330	77
Specialty trade contractors	67	17.4	1.13×About typical	377	$57,220	313
Religious organizations	42	10.9	1.97×More than typical	273	$18,575	—
Limited-service restaurants	34	8.8	1.10×About typical	753	$18,195	16
Lessors of real estate	33	8.6	0.70×Fewer than typical	55	$31,364	204
Building equipment contractors	30	7.8	1.30×More than typical	203	$48,833	43
Full-service restaurants	30	7.8	1.02×About typical	555	$19,903	6
Automotive repair and maintenance	23	6	1.19×About typical	113	$39,708	71
Construction of buildings	23	6	0.79×Fewer than typical	98	$49,306	140
Gasoline stations	20	5.2	1.60×More than typical	155	$24,761	—
Insurance agencies and brokerages	20	5.2	1.18×About typical	179	$48,575	74

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 38,447 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $876.5K on contracts performed in Brownwood, TX micropolitan area: $22.64 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $876.5K; −34% vs FY2025
Per resident: $22.64; US $1,994
Sole-source: 19%; US 30%
Single offer: 70%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Army$479.1K55%
Department of Veterans Affairs$397.4K45%

Top recipients

DENTRUST DENTAL TEXAS, P.C.$403.3K46%
MARATHON MEDICAL CORPORATION$388.1K44%
GOLDEN IDEAS UNLIMITED LLC$47.8K5.5%
MICAH PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC$27.9K3.2%
BROWNWOOD III ENTERPRISES LLC$9,3451.1%

Spending by fiscal year

5.9MFY2017
1.2MFY2018
926.2KFY2019
742.4KFY2020
2.5MFY2021
1.8MFY2022
122.7KFY2023
237.3K

Top industries (NAICS)

Outpatient care centers · 6214$403.3K46%
Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing · 3391$245.9K28%
Consumer goods rental · 5322$142.2K16%
Special food services · 7223$75.7K8.6%
Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) · 6231$9,3451.1%

Largest awards

THIS CONTRACT IS TO RENT SPECIALTY BEDS FOR JAMES A. HALEY'S VETERANS HOSPITAL TO SUPPORT THE SPINAL CORD INJURY DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNITY LIVING CENTER.$845.8K
MARATHON MEDICAL CORPORATION· Brown County, TX· Health & medical· Jan 31, 2025 – Feb 1, 2026· 36C24825P0641
MEDICAL SERVICES IN SUPPORT OF SOLDIER READINESS PROCESSING, SRP, EVENTS SCHEDULED FOR FY 26.$617.1K
DENTRUST DENTAL TEXAS, P.C.· Brown County, TX· Health & medical· Jan 15, 2026 – Jun 4, 2026· W912L126CA001
OPT - BROWNWOOD CARE NURSING CONTRACT - OY3 10/01/2021-09/30/2022 NURSING HOME SERVICES$363.9K
BROWNWOOD III ENTERPRISES LLC· Brown County, TX· Health & medical· Oct 1, 2021 – Apr 14, 2026· 36C25722N0011

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $272.5M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Brownwood, TX micropolitan area: $7,039 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $272.5M; +0.1% vs FY2025
Per resident: $7,039; US $12,955
Loan face value: $16.1M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 1.7%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$166.5M61%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$29.5M11%

Counties in Brownwood, TX

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Brown CountyCentral county3038,711

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

BrownwoodPrincipal city18,777

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Texas

Areas based in Texas, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Abilene, TX37

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M15220

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved11

Declined7

Metro and micro areas like Brownwood, TX micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Counties in Brownwood, TX

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Texas

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved11

Declined7

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Top programs

What was bought

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

By type

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates