Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brandon, FL
VS
Carrollton, TX
🏆 Carrollton leads 14 of 22 categories
Brandon
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,156
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
114,923
Carrollton
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$95,380 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36
Population
132,284 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Brandon, FL
Pros
Homes cost $61k less ($266,400 vs $327,300)
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 56°F
Cons
Median income trails Carrollton by $24,224/yr
Higher unemployment (4.6% vs 3.7%)
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
Carrollton, TX
Pros
Households earn $24,224 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (137.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (3.7%)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 42.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $327,300
Key Differences at a Glance
Brandon
Median Home Value
$61k less
$266,400 vs $327,300
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.4 on the COL index
Carrollton
Median Income
$24,224
$95,380 vs $71,156/yr
Carrollton
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
3.7% vs 4.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brandon, FL | Carrollton, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $266,400 ✓ Lower | $327,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,570⚠ High | $1,555⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,156 | $95,380 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High | 3.7% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High | 24.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.9% | 17.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 29 ✓ Safer | 47 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 36 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 63 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (96) | A (119) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.7:1 | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.0% | 42.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 89.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HILLSBOROUGH | CARROLLTON-FARMERS BRANCH ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.8°F ✓ Warmer | 55.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" | 39.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,923 | 132,284 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.2 | 38.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.1% | 58.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | 19.9% |
| Over 65 | 14.2% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brandon's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Carrollton's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Carrollton is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Carrollton leads 14 of 22 categories. Brandon wins 8 and Carrollton wins 14. 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 Brandon to Carrollton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($266,400 vs $327,300 median home), income ($71,156 vs $95,380), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brandon, FL and Carrollton, TX are about 936 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.