Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brandon, FL
VS
San Antonio, 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
San Antonio
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,593
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High
Population
1,445,662 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Brandon, FL
Pros
78% less violent crime than San Antonio
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $11,563 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.6%)
More college-educated — 34.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 63°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,570/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than San Antonio
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
San Antonio, TX
Pros
Homes cost $68k less ($198,000 vs $266,400)
Rent averages $381/mo less ($1,189 vs $1,570)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Brandon
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Smaller class sizes — 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (594.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Brandon by $11,563/yr
Property crime (4623.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.9% vs 4.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Brandon
Median Income
$11,563
$71,156 vs $59,593/yr
Brandon
Violent Crime
78% lower
131.1 vs 594.1 per 100k
Brandon
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.9% unemployment
San Antonio
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
San Antonio
Median Home Value
$68k less
$198,000 vs $266,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brandon, FL | San Antonio, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $266,400 | $198,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,570⚠ High | $1,189 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,156 ✓ Higher | $59,593 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High | 24.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.9% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 29 ✓ Safer | 182⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 156⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 220⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (96) | B (97) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.7:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.0% ✓ Higher | 27.7% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 83.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HILLSBOROUGH | NORTHSIDE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.8°F ✓ Warmer | 63.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" | 34.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,923 | 1,445,662 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.2 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.1% ✓ Higher | 51.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.2% ✓ More | 12.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brandon's cost of living index is 103.4 vs San Antonio's 93.7 (US average = 100).
San Antonio is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Brandon leads 13 of 23 categories. Brandon wins 13 and San Antonio 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 San Antonio or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($266,400 vs $198,000 median home), income ($71,156 vs $59,593), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brandon, FL and San Antonio, TX are about 988 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.