Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brandon, FL
VS
Laredo, TX
🏆 Brandon leads 13 of 23 categories
Brandon
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,156 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
114,923
Laredo
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,928
Violent Crime Index
96
Population
255,293 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Brandon, FL
Pros
64% less violent crime than Laredo
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.6%)
Households earn $10,228 more per year on average
More college-educated — 34.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 94°F vs 100°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,570/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Laredo
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
Laredo, TX
Pros
Rent averages $602/mo less ($968 vs $1,570)
Homes cost $102k less ($164,400 vs $266,400)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Brandon
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.8)
Smaller class sizes — 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Brandon by $10,228/yr
Higher unemployment (5.9% vs 4.6%)
Hot summers — July highs average 100°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Brandon
Median Income
$10,228
$71,156 vs $60,928/yr
Brandon
Violent Crime
64% lower
131.1 vs 365.8 per 100k
Brandon
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.9% unemployment
Laredo
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 87.8 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Laredo
Median Home Value
$102k less
$164,400 vs $266,400
Laredo
Summer Heat
6.5°F warmer
July avg high 100.3°F vs 93.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brandon, FL | Laredo, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 87.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $266,400 | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,570⚠ High | $968 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,156 ✓ Higher | $60,928 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High | 21.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.9% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 29 ✓ Safer | 86 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 96 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 70 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (96) ✓ Better | C (82) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.7:1 | 15.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.0% ✓ Higher | 21.1% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 69.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HILLSBOROUGH | UNITED ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.8°F ✓ Warmer | 68.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F | 100.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" | 19.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,923 | 255,293 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.2 ✓ Older | 29.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.1% | 62.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | 31.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.2% ✓ More | 9.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brandon's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Laredo's 87.8 (US average = 100).
Laredo is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Brandon leads 13 of 23 categories. Brandon wins 13 and Laredo wins 10. 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 Laredo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($266,400 vs $164,400 median home), income ($71,156 vs $60,928), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brandon, FL and Laredo, TX are about 1,051 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.