Compare towns
Browning vs Vernon 114 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+75% in Browning) and conserved land (+22.3 pts in Browning).
Where each one shines Two towns, two different strengths What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.
Browning A small town of 99
Quiet strengths Browning doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Browning →
Vernon A small town of 69
Quiet strengths Vernon doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Vernon →
The biggest differences Where they differ most The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.
★ What stands out · Monthly cost A typical home costs about the same each month A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.
Down payment3.5% 10% 20% Rate
Browning $470 /mo
Typical home $71K (Census) · tax rate 1.68% · Housing →
Vernon $360 /mo
Typical home $57K (Census) · tax rate 1.20% · or rent about $625/mo · Housing →
The difference: $120 a month , about $1,400 a year , between Browning and Vernon.
Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.
Life in each What daily life feels like in each The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.
Seasons
Growing season (days) — 197d Outdoors & history
Famous people born here — 1
A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.
Where they are 114 miles apart Straight-line miles between town centers.
Browning ↔ Vernon 114 miles apart
Everything, side by side What matters to you? Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
Raising kids Affordability Owning a home Short commute Working from home Younger crowd Settled, older crowd Growing town Outdoorsy Walkable streets
Population
99 Highest 69 Lowest
Median age
43.8 ±34.8 Lowest 12% above IL 46.3 ±9 Highest 19% above IL
Kids under 18
26.3% ±37.2 Highest IL: 21.8% 17.4% ±34.4 Lowest IL: 21.8%
Age 65+
17.2% ±29.2 Lowest IL: 17% 24.6% ±40.4 Highest IL: 17%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
7.1% Lowest IL: 37.8% 12.2% Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0% ±18.6 IL: 6.3% 0% ±26.6 IL: 6.3%
Household incomemedian
— $60,313 ±$28k 28% below IL
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$71,400 ±$9k Highest 73% below IL $57,000 ±$23k Lowest 78% below IL
Rentmedian gross, monthly
— $625 ±$260 51% below IL
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,196 Highest 77% below IL $683 Lowest 87% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
100% ±100 Highest IL: 47.9% 22.2% ±100 Lowest IL: 47.9%
Below poverty line
4% Lowest IL: 11.8% 23.2% Highest IL: 11.8%
Homeownersof occupied homes
72.5% Lowest IL: 67.1% 73% Highest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year
1947 Lowest 24 yrs older than IL 1973 Highest 2 yrs newer than IL
Average commuteone way
27 min Lowest 5% below IL 27 min Highest about the IL average
Work from home
0% ±29.5 Lowest IL: 15.9% 15.6% ±19.6 Highest IL: 15.9%
Work in townworking residents
0% 0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line
22.3 mi Highest 20.3 mi Lowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
0.02 Highest 0.00 Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town
Rushville (32%) Salem (16%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Vernon Few work in Browning
Conserved landshare of the town
22.3% Highest 0% Lowest
Trailsmapped miles
0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi
0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map
0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure
45.4 Highest 22.9 Lowest
“±” Census margin of error ACS 2020–2024
Deciding? Ask the people who live there The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.
Browning or Vernon: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Browning? → Moving to Browning: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Browning’s Town Square.
Vernon or Browning: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Vernon? → Moving to Vernon: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Vernon’s Town Square.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.
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