A quiet Indianapolis suburb with a high-adrenaline pastime
Brownsburg, home to one of America’s noisiest sporting venues, is paradoxically known as one of Indiana’s quietest suburbs. Though Brownsburg is an epicenter of American auto racing culture, its population has doubled in the past 20 years due to its reputation as a family-friendly Indianapolis suburb. “Brownsburg has always been known for its large racing community, but people love it here because of the small-town feel,” says Realtor Kellie Ellis of BluPrint Real Estate Group. “The community is keeping that small-town feel alive amid substantial growth.”
Brownsburg residents enjoy top-rated schools, low crime rates, and a high quality of life. This Hendricks County city is experiencing rapid growth -- even since 2020, the population has increased nearly 15% to more than 33,000. Distribution centers for companies such as O'Reiley Auto Parts and Home Goods are provide are major areas employers. That said, Brownsburg has maintained more of its formerly rural feel than northern Indianapolis suburbs like Carmel and Fishers, which have more than 100,000 residents. “Brownsburg differs from the hustle and bustle of neighboring towns,” Ellis says. “More people want to move to Brownsburg over anywhere else in the area because of its rural feel and quiet community.”
Two major roads go through Brownsburg toward the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Despite its growth and proximity to the racetracks, Brownsburg still has farmland and park space, which gives the city its quiet, family-friendly atmosphere as you move out from the city.
Brownsburg, home to one of America’s noisiest sporting venues, is also known as a quiet suburb.
People move to Brownsburg because it has a rural feel and quiet community.
Brownsburg town hall is in the center of town, with a large town square.
Brownsburg is a sprawling, mostly residential suburb to the west of Indianapolis.
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The raceway revs up the city
Brownsburg hosts the Super Bowl of American drag racing every Labor Day weekend: the National Hot Rod Association US Nationals. The Nationals have been held at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park annually since 1961. Indianapolis Raceway Park’s oval hosts the Hoosier Hundred open-wheel race on the Friday night before the Indianapolis 500 and a NASCAR truck series race held on the weekend of the Brickyard 400. “Most people know someone who works in the racing in some capacity, whether it’s a racecar driver or mechanic,” Ellis says. An estimated 500,000 fans visit the venue, which has a capacity of 30,000, over an entire racing season. “There are a couple times a year where it’s super busy, and there’s an exciting energy,” Ellis says. “People love it.”
Brownsburg is also just 10 miles west of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home to "the greatest spectacle in racing," the Indianapolis 500. More than 400,000 spectators attend the Indy 500 each Memorial Day weekend.
Come see the oval track at Lucas Oil Raceway Park in Brownsburg, where they race sprint cars.
No trip to Brownsburg is complete without seeing the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Rock crawling in trucks also happens at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway near Brownsburg.
Even on non-race days you can find cars practicing at the Indianapolis Speedway near Brownsburg.
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Brownsburg schools among best in Indiana
Brownsburg Community School Corporation is close to claiming the pole position for all of Indiana. Niche gives the school district an A-plus rating, which is No. 4 in the state. Brownsburg’s teachers also rank fourth best in the state. “The schools in Brownsburg are known for achieving high test scores, which is a huge draw for families,” Ellis says. Six of Brownsburg’s nine elementary schools rank in the top 150 nationally for public grade schools. Students attend Brownsburg East or Brownsburg West Middle School before completing their journey at Brownsburg High School. Brownsburg High School maintains a 99% graduation rate, even with nearly 3,000 students.
Brownsburg High School serves students 9-12 grade.
Tennis courts and a baseball field can be found for students at Brownsburg West Middle School.
Brownsburg East Middle School serves grades 6-8 in Brownsburg.
Brown Elementary School in Brownsburg serves grades K-5.
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New homes reflect Brownsburg's rapid growth
Brownsburg doubled in size from 1990 to 2000, then doubled again from 2000 to 2020, which means most homes were built in the past 30 years. The houses from Brownsburg’s sleepier days are ranch-style and split levels ranging from around $170,000 to $410,000. Custom builds in subdivisions constructed from the ‘90s to the present can range from $285,000 to $845,000. There are also some estate homes for around $1 million, leading the likes of former Indianapolis Colts punter and current ESPN personality Pat McAfee to call Brownsburg home.
The median price in Brownsburg is around $365,000—slightly higher than neighboring Avon but significantly lower than northern Indianapolis suburbs like Carmel or Zionsville.
Additionally, residents don’t have to worry about noise from the auto races: “The speedway is in a cornfield on the east side closer to Indianapolis, so it doesn’t affect residential life in Brownsburg,” Ellis says.
Many newer homes can be found on Pine Cone Drive in Brownsburg.
Festive Halloween decorations cover up the front lawns of charming Brownsburg homes.
Communities full of newly built homes cover Brownsburg.
The median home price in Brownsburg is around $365,000, slightly higher than neighboring Avon.
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Franchise restaurants, big box stores and some local flavor
Residents restock and refuel at one of the many shopping centers and chain restaurants along State Road 267 and U.S. 136. In addition to national chains, there is also The Hayloft, a local farm-to-table store. The Brownsburg Farmers Market sells local goods on Thursday evenings throughout the summer.
Steak N Shake is a popular franchise restaurant in the Brownsburg area.
The Walmart in Brownsburg is a well-known big box store that carries everything imaginable.
The Hayloft is a farm-to-table restaurant in Brownsburg.
Iguana's Mexican Restaurant in Brownsburg has great service, good selection and nice atmosphere.
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Newly opened Virgil Park reflects area's growing green spaces
Brownsburg's park system is growing. The town opened its sixth park, Virgil Park, in May 2024. Located along the paved B&O Trail, the park integrates wetland and prairie around a small playground. Virgil Park and Cardinal Park feature bike repair stations to aid cyclists riding the B&O Trail. Arbuckle Acres Park is the pride of Brownsburg’s park system. The 52 acres bordered by White Lick Creek include 1.3 miles of trails, lighted basketball and tennis courts, picnic shelters, and the home diamonds of Brownsburg’s Little League program, which reached the Little League World Series in 1999 and 2001 and added another Indiana state championship in 2021.
On the west side of town, Natural Valley Ranch offers 75 acres of trails for horseback riders. Not far from Brownsburg, Eagle Creek Reservoir and Park is one of the most expansive municipal parks in the country, with more than 3,900 wooded acres and 1,400 acres of water. Residents can connect with nature by hiking, golfing, fishing, boating, or swimming.
Virgil Park is a new, yet peaceful park located in Brownsburg.
Come see the goats at the petting zoo in Natural Valley Ranch in Brownsburg.
Come take a bike ride along the B&O Rail Trail in Brownsburg.
Arbuckle Acres Park in Brownsburg boasts beautiful mature trees on 52 acres.
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Interstate 74 access, plus local infrastructure upgrades on the way
The Indiana Department of Transportation awarded Brownsburg $1 million for road infrastructure upgrades to the largely car-dependent city. Interstate 74 runs through Brownsburg, leading into Interstate 465, which loops around Indianapolis. U.S. 136 and State Route 267 are the two other major roads. Residents encounter occasional traffic in Brownsburg, especially during major raceway events. Currently, the only public transportation is the reservation-based LINK Hendricks County bus service for Brownsburg seniors. However, roadside trails, greenways, and trailheads make Brownsburg a reasonably friendly city for bikers and joggers. For long-distance travel, Indianapolis International Airport is 14 miles southeast.
A reputation as one of Indiana's safest cities
Brownsburg has a reputation for being a relatively safe city. The city’s major crimes trended downward in 2023, and its overall crime rates are consistently below national averages. With a growing population comes the need to staff up, so the Brownsburg Police Department hired four additional full-time officers in 2023. To prevent crime and support mental health, The Willow Center treats youth substance abuse.
Brownsburg is also considered a safe place to live in terms of weather. While Hendricks County experiences more tornadoes than the national average, there have been zero fatalities since at least 1954. The city averages just over a foot of annual snowfall.
Full Time Realtor Michelle Campbell started her career as a Realtor in 2005. After working under two big name brokers, she decided to join Sold It Realty Group - a smaller independent company. She loves working with both Buyers and Sellers - and can offer you a deal if you work with her as both! While Hendricks County, West side and North side of Indy is where the majority of her business tends to be, she has experience all around the Indy Metro area. Prior to being a Realtor, she worked in real estate title for 12 years.
Family Michelle moved to Brownsburg, IN, in 2000 when she married Neil, an IndyCar mechanic, now working for Andretti Autosport. Their daughter, Lauren, is a recent graduate of Indiana University with goals of becoming a Physician Associate.
Personal Interests While her daughter was in school, Michelle tried to volunteer at her daughter's school and with the Brownsburg Education Foundation as much as possible. When not working, Michelle loves going to weekly trivia events, being outside, movies, and of course, watching IndyCar.
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.
