Indiana · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Brown County, IN

Prices around Brown County, IN run 4.3% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $78,528 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,473 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $58,920 a year.

Brown County, IN at a glance

Median household income

$78,528$6,544 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,473HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)95.7-4.3% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity17.5¢per kWh · EIA Residential IN
Population15,606Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Brown County, IN?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,473Monthly market rent
Share of gross income22.5%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$58,920To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,963At 30% of $78,528
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Brown County, IN? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Brown County, IN, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,118$13,416$44,72017.1%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,267$15,204$50,68019.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,473$17,676$58,92022.5%
3-Bedroom Home$1,907$22,884$76,28029.1%
4-Bedroom Home$2,338$28,056$93,52035.7%

Rent in Brown County, IN, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Brown County, IN

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $78,528 a year ($6,544 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,272/moRent ($1,473 2-BR), utilities (~$158/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,963/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,309/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $78,528 leaves after Indiana taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Indiana tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$78,528
$30,000$160,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$78,528
Net 79%
Fed 11%
IN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$61,787After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,149Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,376Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate21.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,446 / yr
Indiana state income tax$2,287 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,007 / yr

Living in Brown County, IN: common questions

What is the median household income in Brown County, IN?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Brown County, IN is $78,528 per year (approximately $6,544 per month).

What is the average rent in Brown County, IN?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,118 for a studio, $1,267 for one bedroom, $1,473 for two, $1,907 for three and $2,338 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Brown County, IN expensive to live in?

Prices there run 4.3% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 95.7, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Brown County, IN?

To keep a $1,473 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $58,920 a year, or $4,910 a month. That is 75% of what the typical household in Brown County, IN earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Brown County, IN?

On the local median income of $78,528 ($6,544 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,272 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,963 for everything else and $1,309 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,473 takes 45% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Brown County, IN?

Homes in Indiana paid 17.5¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $158. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.