Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brandon, FL
VS
Little Rock, AR
🏆 Little Rock leads 13 of 23 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
Little Rock
Arkansas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,697
Violent Crime Index
440⚠ High
Population
202,218 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Brandon, FL
Pros
92% less violent crime than Little Rock
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $12,459 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 51°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,570/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Little Rock
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
Little Rock, AR
Pros
Rent averages $564/mo less ($1,006 vs $1,570)
Homes cost $61k less ($205,800 vs $266,400)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Brandon
More college-educated — 44.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.1)
Cons
Violent crime (1672.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Brandon by $12,459/yr
Property crime (5214.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Brandon
Median Income
$12,459
$71,156 vs $58,697/yr
Brandon
Violent Crime
92% lower
131.1 vs 1672.0 per 100k
Little Rock
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 89.1 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Little Rock
Median Home Value
$61k less
$205,800 vs $266,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brandon, FL | Little Rock, AR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 89.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $266,400 | $205,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,570⚠ High | $1,006 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,156 ✓ Higher | $58,697 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High | 18.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.9% ✓ Higher | 8.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 29 ✓ Safer | 363⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 440⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (96) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.7:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.0% | 44.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% | 92.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HILLSBOROUGH | LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.8°F ✓ Warmer | 50.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer | 91.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" | 52.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,923 | 202,218 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.2 ✓ Older | 36.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.1% ✓ Higher | 54.4% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.2% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brandon's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Little Rock's 89.1 (US average = 100).
Little Rock is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Little Rock leads 13 of 23 categories. Brandon wins 10 and Little Rock wins 13. 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 Little Rock or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($266,400 vs $205,800 median home), income ($71,156 vs $58,697), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brandon, FL and Little Rock, AR are about 756 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.