Brown County

Home values in Brown County have climbed 7.6% from their March low, rising to $162,698 after four consecutive monthly gains. The rebound signals stabilization in the local residential market after hitting bottom at $151,227 in late March.

But gains in housing come against a deteriorating employment picture. Unemployment has reversed course after hitting a recent low of 3.5% in April, rising to 4.7% as of June—a 34.3% increase over two consecutive readings. The jobless rate now sits well above its April bottom and approaches the 5.4% peak recorded in January. Labor force data for June shows 3,904 residents in the workforce, though employed and unemployed counts registered zero, suggesting a potential data reporting gap. Over the past 12 months, the county's unemployment has swung between 3.5% and 5.4%, indicating volatility in local job conditions.

The divergence between housing recovery and labor market softening warrants closer examination. Local reporters should investigate whether the home value gains reflect genuine economic confidence or are driven by limited inventory, and whether recent job losses are concentrated in specific sectors or tied to seasonal patterns in Brown County's economy.