Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brandon, FL
VS
Fort Lauderdale, FL
🏆 Brandon leads 10 of 19 categories
Brandon
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,156
Violent Crime Index
35
Population
114,923
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Brandon, FL
Pros
Homes cost $151k less ($266,400 vs $417,600)
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (4.6%)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
Smaller class sizes — 19.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fort Lauderdale by $4,220/yr
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pros
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $4,220 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $417,600
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.6%)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Brandon
Key Differences at a Glance
Brandon
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Brandon
Median Home Value
$151k less
$266,400 vs $417,600
Brandon
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.4% unemployment
Brandon
Summer Heat
3.3°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 90.5°F
Fort Lauderdale
Median Income
$4,220
$75,376 vs $71,156/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brandon, FL | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $266,400 ✓ Lower | $417,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,570⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,627⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,156 | $75,376 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High | 26.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.9% | 14.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 29 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (96) | B (98) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.0% | 40.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 89.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HILLSBOROUGH | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.8°F | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer | 90.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" ✓ Drier | 63.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,923 | 182,673 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.2 | 43.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.1% ✓ Higher | 54.2% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% ✓ More | 16.9% |
| Over 65 | 14.2% | 19.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brandon's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Fort Lauderdale's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Brandon is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Brandon leads 10 of 19 categories. Brandon wins 10 and Fort Lauderdale wins 9. 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 Fort Lauderdale or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($266,400 vs $417,600 median home), income ($71,156 vs $75,376), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brandon, FL and Fort Lauderdale, FL are about 181 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.