Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brandon, FL
VS
Sparks, NV
🏆 Brandon leads 14 of 23 categories
Brandon
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,156
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
114,923 ✓ Larger
Sparks
Nevada
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,938 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High
Population
108,025
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Brandon, FL
Pros
Homes cost $157k less ($266,400 vs $423,500)
67% less violent crime than Sparks
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (4.6%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 48°F
More college-educated — 34.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Sparks by $11,782/yr
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
Sparks, NV
Pros
Households earn $11,782 more per year on average
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $423,500
Property crime (2583.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 4.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Brandon
Violent Crime
67% lower
131.1 vs 394.4 per 100k
Brandon
Median Home Value
$157k less
$266,400 vs $423,500
Brandon
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
4.6% vs 6.1% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.4 on the COL index
Sparks
Median Income
$11,782
$82,938 vs $71,156/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brandon, FL | Sparks, NV |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 103.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $266,400 ✓ Lower | $423,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,570⚠ High | $1,526⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,156 | $82,938 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.9% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 29 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 123⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (96) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.7:1 | 19.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.0% ✓ Higher | 25.4% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 85.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HILLSBOROUGH | Washoe County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.8°F ✓ Warmer | 48.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer | 92.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" | 8.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 6.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,923 ✓ Larger | 108,025 |
| Median Age | 37.2 ✓ Older | 37.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.1% | 59.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.2% | 15.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brandon's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Sparks's 103.2 (US average = 100).
Sparks is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Brandon leads 14 of 23 categories. Brandon wins 14 and Sparks wins 9. 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 Sparks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($266,400 vs $423,500 median home), income ($71,156 vs $82,938), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brandon, FL and Sparks, NV are about 2,275 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.