Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brandon, FL
VS
New Haven, CT
🏆 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
New Haven
Connecticut
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,305
Violent Crime Index
141⚠ High
Population
135,736 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Brandon, FL
Pros
75% less violent crime than New Haven
Households earn $16,851 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 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 38°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,570/mo
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
Cost of living runs 5% higher than New Haven
New Haven, CT
Pros
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Homes cost $30k less ($236,500 vs $266,400)
Rent averages $168/mo less ($1,402 vs $1,570)
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 94°F
More college-educated — 38.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 12.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (534.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Brandon by $16,851/yr
Property crime (3587.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.8% vs 4.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Brandon
Median Income
$16,851
$71,156 vs $54,305/yr
Brandon
Violent Crime
75% lower
131.1 vs 534.8 per 100k
Brandon
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
4.6% vs 7.8% unemployment
Brandon
Summer Heat
11.7°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 82.1°F
New Haven
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 98.6 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
New Haven
Median Home Value
$30k less
$236,500 vs $266,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brandon, FL | New Haven, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 98.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $266,400 | $236,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,570⚠ High | $1,402⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,156 ✓ Higher | $54,305 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High | 21.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.9% ✓ Higher | 11.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 29 ✓ Safer | 153⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 141⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 171⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (96) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.7:1 | 12.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.0% | 38.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 85.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HILLSBOROUGH | New Haven School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.8°F ✓ Warmer | 38.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer | 82.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" | 41.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 33.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,923 | 135,736 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.2 ✓ Older | 31.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.1% ✓ Higher | 28.6% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | 22.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.2% ✓ More | 10.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brandon's cost of living index is 103.4 vs New Haven's 98.6 (US average = 100).
New Haven is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Brandon leads 13 of 23 categories. Brandon wins 13 and New Haven 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 New Haven or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($266,400 vs $236,500 median home), income ($71,156 vs $54,305), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brandon, FL and New Haven, CT are about 1,065 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.