Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Brownsville, TX
🏆 Arlington leads 12 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Brownsville
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$46,735
Violent Crime Index
120⚠ High
Population
186,999
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $90,652 more per year on average
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
44% less violent crime than Brownsville
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.5 pts lower (2.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
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 23% higher than Brownsville
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Brownsville, TX
Pros
Homes cost $721k less ($112,600 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1355/mo less ($872 vs $2,227)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 45°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.2)
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $90,652/yr
Violent crime (456.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$90,652
$137,387 vs $46,735/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
44% lower
254.4 vs 456.0 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
3.5 pp lower
2.8% vs 6.3% unemployment
Brownsville
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 85.2 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Brownsville
Median Home Value
$721k less
$112,600 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Brownsville, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 85.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $112,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $872 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $46,735 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 120⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 92 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | C+ (85) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 20.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 69.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | BROWNSVILLE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 70.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 91.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 28.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 186,999 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 30.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 60.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 28.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 12.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Brownsville's 85.2 (US average = 100).
Brownsville is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 12 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 12 and Brownsville wins 11. 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 Brownsville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $112,600 median home), income ($137,387 vs $46,735), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Brownsville, TX are about 1,478 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.