Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brandon, FL
VS
Jackson, MS
🏆 Brandon leads 10 of 19 categories
Brandon
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,156 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35
Population
114,923
Jackson
Mississippi
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$42,193
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
153,271 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Brandon, FL
Pros
Households earn $28,963 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.7 pts lower (4.6%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 57°F
More college-educated — 34.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,570/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Jackson
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
Jackson, MS
Pros
Homes cost $162k less ($104,900 vs $266,400)
Rent averages $590/mo less ($980 vs $1,570)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Brandon
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.7)
Smaller class sizes — 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Brandon by $28,963/yr
Higher unemployment (9.3% vs 4.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Brandon
Median Income
$28,963
$71,156 vs $42,193/yr
Brandon
Unemployment
4.7 pp lower
4.6% vs 9.3% unemployment
Jackson
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Jackson
Median Home Value
$162k less
$104,900 vs $266,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brandon, FL | Jackson, MS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $266,400 | $104,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,570⚠ High | $980 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,156 ✓ Higher | $42,193 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High | 20.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.9% ✓ Higher | 6.2% |
| 🔒 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- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.7:1 | 13.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.0% ✓ Higher | 28.7% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 87.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HILLSBOROUGH | Jackson Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.8°F ✓ Warmer | 57.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer | 92.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" | 51.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 1.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,923 | 153,271 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.2 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.1% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.2% | 14.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brandon's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Jackson's 90.7 (US average = 100).
Jackson is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Brandon leads 10 of 19 categories. Brandon wins 10 and Jackson 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 Jackson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($266,400 vs $104,900 median home), income ($71,156 vs $42,193), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brandon, FL and Jackson, MS are about 561 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.