Brownsville's musical heritage in Southwest Tennessee
For a community its size, Brownsville’s musical heritage is huge. Several Memphis blues pioneers, like Sleepy John Estes, got their start in town. But Brownsville also claims a bigger star: the queen of rock ’n’ roll herself, Tina Turner, who was born in Brownsville. Today, roughly 9,000 residents celebrate their town’s place in music history with several festivals and museums. Outside of its famous former residents, Brownsville offers lower home prices than other Memphis suburbs, plus a quaint downtown about 60 miles northeast of the big city. Lately, the area is starting to grow due to new nearby employers, including Ford. “It’s not too small, but it’s not too big,” says Shana Williams, property manager at Conner Real Estate and a lifelong resident of Brownsville. “But with Ford coming, we’re starting to see a lot of new faces and strangers. We’re normally not used to that.”
Brownsville is a town with a rich cultural heritage.
Brownsville is home to around 10,000 residents.
1/2
Tree-lined neighborhoods offer national or ranch-style homes, with some newer builds
Brownsville serves as the county seat for Haywood County, and the Haywood County Courthouse is the centerpiece of downtown. Additions to the city grid were made through the years as the community grew beyond its small downtown. Today, many homes sit on weaving drives and cul-de-sacs with tree canopies. The north side of town is mainly residential, while small subdivisions sit alongside farmland and industry south of downtown. Small national and ranch-style homes can sell between $125,000 and $250,000, though those needing renovations go between $75,000 and $125,000. Larger new traditional homes, many built in the last 20 years, sell from $250,000 to $450,000. Expansive plots of land are also available, many on the city’s outskirts, and tend to range from $10,000 to $50,000 per acre.
Brownsville's housing market is more affordable than the national average.
Brownsville feautures several neighborhoods of larger homes built over the last 20 years or so.
1/2
Downtown's restaurants, including Livingston's Soda Fountain & Grill and Las Palmas
Brownsville's shopping and dining scene extends out from the courthouse roundabout. Livingston’s Soda Fountain & Grill opened in 2021 but resembles a slice of Main Street Americana, serving diner-style breakfasts and sandwiches alongside shakes and sodas. A block away, Las Palmas Mexican Restaurant offers favorites like fajitas and enchiladas. Downtown also features small shops like Mr. Jimmy’s Farmer’s Market and Morris Jewelers. The Bradford Square Shopping Center has stores like Dollar Tree, and a Walmart is less than 2 miles from downtown.
Brownsville residents shop for groceries at Walmart or Food King.
Livingstons's Soda Fountain and Grill is a local favorite in Brownsville.
1/2
Celebrating Tina Turner and the city's musical legacy
Every September, proud residents and visitors roll in to Tina Turner Heritage Days, a weekendlong event celebrating the iconic singer put on by the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center. Attendees can tour landmarks like the Flagg Grove School, her old schoolhouse, which has been turned into a museum with memorabilia and costume pieces from her final tour. Other music events include the Exit 56 Blues Fest each spring. “The Corvette Club comes out and shows their cars,” Williams says, "and it’s nice that they pay homage to Tina, too.”
The West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center in Brownsville pays homage to Tina Turner and other musicians that brought music to life in the region.
Brownsville is a town with a rich cultural heritage that hosts musical events throughout the year.
1/2
Major highways include I-40 for commuting
Though the downtown square is walkable, Brownsville residents are generally car-dependent. The Southwest Human Resource Agency offers a demand-response transportation service, allowing residents to schedule pickups and drop-offs for occasions such as grocery trips or medical appointments. Interstate 40 runs past town, serving as the main route toward Memphis or, in the opposite direction, toward Nashville, 150 miles away. Ford’s BlueOval City manufacturing facility is 15 miles.
One school pipeline through Haywood County Schools
Students in Brownsville can attend Haywood County Schools. The Anderson Early Childhood Center has prekindergarten and kindergarten classes and receives a B grade from Niche. Kids then move on to C-plusHaywood Elementary for first and second grade, followed by third and fourth grade at East Side Elementary, rated C. Sunny Hill Intermediate receives a C-minus for fifth and sixth grade, and Haywood Middle receives a C. Students then finish at C-plus Haywood High, which offers organizations such as Air Force JROTC and Health Occupations Students of America.
Sunny Hill Intermediate School in Brownsville serves the town's 5th and 6th grade students.
Haywood High School is Brownsville's public high school.
1/2
Sports facilities, parks and downtown people-watching
The Brownsville-Haywood County Parks and Recreation Department manages parks throughout the community. The departmental office hosts fitness events, such as aerobics classes for older adults. Less than a mile away, one of the community’s largest parks includes a playground, a skate park and sports fields right off East Jefferson Street. On the other side of the area, Webb Banks Passive Park offers several walking trails along a pond for residents to enjoy a few moments in nature. Directly downtown is Tamm Park, with a water feature and benches to sit and people-watch. Several signs in and around Tamm Park detail the area's history, which includes key moments in the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement.
Brownsville is home to several parks such as Webb Banks Passive Park.
Tamm Park is situated in downtown Brownsville.
1/2
Written By
Brendan Doyle
Photography Contributed By
Aaron Bloodworth
Video By
Francisco de la Vera
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Jackie David,
an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
On average, homes in Brownsville, TN sell after 78 days on the market compared to the national average of 51 days. The median sale price for homes in Brownsville, TN over the last 12 months is $218,000, up 26% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
ARV 550-650K. Blue Oval Housing Opportunity! Priced at roughly 1/3 of ARV. Mixed Use Building with Up to 18 residential rooms; PLUS large downstairs area with separate entry for a business. Hostel/ Sober Living Home/ Bar/ Restaurant/ Coffee Shop/ Offices/ Retail? 11,000 square feet across 2 floors. Needs work but some work has already been completed: Updated Commercial grade Electric (Approx 10
Welcome to 891 Coburn Road in Brownsville, TN. This Home Has 4 Bedrooms (3 Down, 1 Up), 2.5 Bathrooms, 3.92 Acres with a MASSIVE Shop with Separate Driveway from Main Home. This 2012 Built Home has a Spacious Kitchen with Custom Cabinets, Formal Dining Area & Living Room, Hardwood Floors, Tile and Carpet in Bedrooms. This Won't Last Long ... Minutes from FORD Blue Oval & I-40 Access. Call Today
Exceptional opportunity to own ±80 acres (plus or minus 0.5 acres) of prime development land featuring approximately 4,234 feet of road frontage on Interstate 40 in Haywood County, Tennessee. This expansive tract offers outstanding visibility and direct interstate access, making it ideal for residential, commercial, or industrial development. Located just minutes from Blue Oval City, this
Beautiful 4-bedroom, 1-bath home with new flooring, a spacious living room, an open floor plan, and a large backyard. Move-in ready! Monthly rent: $995. Deposit: $995
Walk Score® measures the walkability of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address. CAP Index provides objective, accurate, and consistent data to help measure, compare, and mitigate crime risks.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
