Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Brandon, FL
🏆 Brandon leads 13 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Brandon
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,156
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
114,923
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $66,231 more per year on average
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (2.8%)
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Brandon
Brandon, FL
Pros
Homes cost $567k less ($266,400 vs $833,300)
48% less violent crime than Arlington
Rent averages $657/mo less ($1,570 vs $2,227)
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 45°F
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $66,231/yr
Higher unemployment (4.6% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$66,231
$137,387 vs $71,156/yr
Arlington
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
2.8% vs 4.6% unemployment
Brandon
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Brandon
Violent Crime
48% lower
131.1 vs 254.4 per 100k
Brandon
Median Home Value
$567k less
$266,400 vs $833,300
Brandon
Summer Heat
4.2°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Brandon, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $266,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,570⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $71,156 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 28.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 13.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 | 35 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 | 21 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 34.0% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 90.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 74.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" ✓ Drier | 55.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 114,923 |
| Median Age | 35.3 | 37.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 55.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 19.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 14.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Brandon's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Brandon is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Brandon leads 13 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 10 and Brandon wins 13. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Brandon or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $266,400 median home), income ($137,387 vs $71,156), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Brandon, FL are about 813 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.