Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brandon, FL
VS
Huntsville, AL
🏆 Huntsville leads 12 of 22 categories
Brandon
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,156 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
114,923
Huntsville
Alabama
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,874
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
215,025 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Brandon, FL
Pros
73% less violent crime than Huntsville
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 50°F
Households earn $3,282 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,570/mo
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Huntsville
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
Huntsville, AL
Pros
Rent averages $550/mo less ($1,020 vs $1,570)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Homes cost $30k less ($236,300 vs $266,400)
More college-educated — 45.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Brandon
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.8)
Cons
Violent crime (483.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Brandon by $3,282/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Brandon
Median Income
$3,282
$71,156 vs $67,874/yr
Brandon
Violent Crime
73% lower
131.1 vs 483.2 per 100k
Brandon
Summer Heat
5.7°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 88.1°F
Huntsville
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 94.8 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Huntsville
Median Home Value
$30k less
$236,300 vs $266,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brandon, FL | Huntsville, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 94.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $266,400 | $236,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,570⚠ High | $1,020 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,156 ✓ Higher | $67,874 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High | 19.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.9% ✓ Higher | 11.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 29 ✓ Safer | 122⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 114⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (96) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.7:1 | 17.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.0% | 45.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% | 91.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HILLSBOROUGH | Huntsville City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.8°F ✓ Warmer | 50.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer | 88.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" | 54.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,923 | 215,025 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.2 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.1% | 57.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.9% ✓ More | 19.4% |
| Over 65 | 14.2% | 16.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brandon's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Huntsville's 94.8 (US average = 100).
Huntsville is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Huntsville leads 12 of 22 categories. Brandon wins 10 and Huntsville wins 12. 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 Huntsville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($266,400 vs $236,300 median home), income ($71,156 vs $67,874), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brandon, FL and Huntsville, AL are about 535 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.