Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brandon, FL
VS
Kansas City, KS
🏆 Brandon leads 14 of 23 categories
Brandon
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,156 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
114,923
Kansas City
Kansas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,120
Violent Crime Index
276⚠ High
Population
155,438 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Brandon, FL
Pros
87% less violent crime than Kansas City
Households earn $15,036 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 40°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (4.6%)
More college-educated — 34.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,570/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Kansas City
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
Kansas City, KS
Pros
Homes cost $133k less ($133,800 vs $266,400)
Rent averages $526/mo less ($1,044 vs $1,570)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Brandon
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Smaller class sizes — 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1047.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Brandon by $15,036/yr
Property crime (3606.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.0% vs 4.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Brandon
Median Income
$15,036
$71,156 vs $56,120/yr
Brandon
Violent Crime
87% lower
131.1 vs 1047.2 per 100k
Brandon
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
4.6% vs 6.0% unemployment
Brandon
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 90.2°F
Kansas City
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Kansas City
Median Home Value
$133k less
$133,800 vs $266,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brandon, FL | Kansas City, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $266,400 | $133,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,570⚠ High | $1,044 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,156 ✓ Higher | $56,120 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High | 21.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.9% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 29 ✓ Safer | 234⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 276⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 172⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (96) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.7:1 | 15.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.0% ✓ Higher | 19.7% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 80.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HILLSBOROUGH | Kansas City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.8°F ✓ Warmer | 39.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer | 90.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" | 38.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 11.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,923 | 155,438 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.2 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.1% | 59.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | 27.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.2% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brandon's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Kansas City's 93.3 (US average = 100).
Kansas City is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Brandon leads 14 of 23 categories. Brandon wins 14 and Kansas City 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 Kansas City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($266,400 vs $133,800 median home), income ($71,156 vs $56,120), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brandon, FL and Kansas City, KS are about 1,052 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.