Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brandon, FL
VS
Denton, TX
🏆 Brandon leads 12 of 23 categories
Brandon
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,156
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
114,923
Denton
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,921 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
54
Population
142,262 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Brandon, FL
Pros
36% less violent crime than Denton
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 56°F
Homes cost $30k less ($266,400 vs $296,100)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,570/mo
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
Denton, TX
Pros
Rent averages $306/mo less ($1,264 vs $1,570)
Violent crime is well below the national average (204.2 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 40.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Brandon
Violent Crime
36% lower
131.1 vs 204.2 per 100k
Brandon
Median Home Value
$30k less
$266,400 vs $296,100
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.4 on the COL index
Denton
Median Income
$765
$71,921 vs $71,156/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brandon, FL | Denton, 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 | $296,100 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,570⚠ High | $1,264 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,156 | $71,921 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High | 24.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.9% ✓ Higher | 10.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 29 ✓ Safer | 65 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 54 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 83 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (96) | A- (115) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.7:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.0% | 40.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% | 91.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HILLSBOROUGH | DENTON ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.8°F ✓ Warmer | 55.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" | 38.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,923 | 142,262 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.2 ✓ Older | 30.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.1% ✓ Higher | 49.4% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 14.2% ✓ More | 12.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brandon's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Denton's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Denton is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Brandon leads 12 of 23 categories. Brandon wins 12 and Denton 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 Brandon to Denton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($266,400 vs $296,100 median home), income ($71,156 vs $71,921), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brandon, FL and Denton, TX are about 954 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.