Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Baton Rouge, LA
VS
Brownsville, TX
🏆 Brownsville leads 15 of 23 categories
Baton Rouge
Louisiana
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8
Median Household Income
$50,155 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
270⚠ High
Population
225,500 ✓ Larger
Brownsville
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$46,735
Violent Crime Index
120⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
186,999
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Baton Rouge, LA
Pros
More college-educated — 36.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Households earn $3,420 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 13.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1027.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5852.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 6.3%)
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Brownsville
Brownsville, TX
Pros
Homes cost $105k less ($112,600 vs $217,700)
56% less violent crime than Baton Rouge
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (6.3%)
Rent averages $138/mo less ($872 vs $1,010)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.2)
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 61°F
Cons
Violent crime (456.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Baton Rouge by $3,420/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Baton Rouge
Median Income
$3,420
$50,155 vs $46,735/yr
Brownsville
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 85.2 vs 90.8 (100 = US avg)
Brownsville
Violent Crime
56% lower
456.0 vs 1027.7 per 100k
Brownsville
Median Home Value
$105k less
$112,600 vs $217,700
Brownsville
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
6.3% vs 8.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Baton Rouge, LA | Brownsville, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.8 | 85.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $217,700 | $112,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,010 | $872 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $50,155 ✓ Higher | $46,735 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.6%⚠ High | 6.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.5 min | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.2% | 6.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 270⚠ High | 120⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 279⚠ High | 92 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | C+ (85) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.4% ✓ Higher | 20.9% |
| High School or Higher | 87.5% ✓ Higher | 69.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | East Baton Rouge Parish | BROWNSVILLE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.7°F | 70.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F | 91.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 67.5" | 28.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 225,500 ✓ Larger | 186,999 |
| Median Age | 31.9 ✓ Older | 30.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.9% | 60.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | 28.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 12.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Baton Rouge's cost of living index is 90.8 vs Brownsville's 85.2 (US average = 100).
Brownsville is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Brownsville leads 15 of 23 categories. Baton Rouge wins 8 and Brownsville wins 15. 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 Baton Rouge to Brownsville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($217,700 vs $112,600 median home), income ($50,155 vs $46,735), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Baton Rouge, LA and Brownsville, TX are about 492 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.