Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brandon, FL
VS
Miami Gardens, FL
🏆 Brandon leads 16 of 22 categories
Brandon
Florida
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,156 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
114,923 ✓ Larger
Miami Gardens
Florida
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$56,071
Violent Crime Index
109⚠ High
Population
111,618
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Brandon, FL
Pros
68% less violent crime than Miami Gardens
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.3 pts lower (4.6%)
Households earn $15,085 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 34.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Homes cost $33k less ($266,400 vs $299,700)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Miami Gardens, FL
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Median income trails Brandon by $15,085/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (7.9% vs 4.6%)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Brandon
Key Differences at a Glance
Brandon
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Brandon
Median Income
$15,085
$71,156 vs $56,071/yr
Brandon
Violent Crime
68% lower
131.1 vs 414.6 per 100k
Brandon
Median Home Value
$33k less
$266,400 vs $299,700
Brandon
Unemployment
3.3 pp lower
4.6% vs 7.9% unemployment
Brandon
Summer Heat
4.2°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brandon, FL | Miami Gardens, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $266,400 ✓ Lower | $299,700 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,570⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,583⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,156 ✓ Higher | $56,071 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 32.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 13.9% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 29 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 116⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (96) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.7:1 | 19.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.0% ✓ Higher | 17.7% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 82.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HILLSBOROUGH | MIAMI-DADE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.8°F | 75.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" ✓ Drier | 68.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,923 ✓ Larger | 111,618 |
| Median Age | 37.2 | 38.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.1% | 64.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.2% | 16.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brandon's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Miami Gardens's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Brandon is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Brandon leads 16 of 22 categories. Brandon wins 16 and Miami Gardens wins 6. 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 Miami Gardens or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($266,400 vs $299,700 median home), income ($71,156 vs $56,071), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brandon, FL and Miami Gardens, FL are about 187 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.