Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brownsville, TX
VS
Cape Coral, FL
🏆 Cape Coral leads 11 of 19 categories
Brownsville
Texas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$46,735
Violent Crime Index
120⚠ High
Population
186,999
Cape Coral
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Brownsville, TX
Pros
Homes cost $190k less ($112,600 vs $302,400)
Rent averages $758/mo less ($872 vs $1,630)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.2)
Smaller class sizes — 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Cape Coral by $25,739/yr
Violent crime (456.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 4.4%)
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Households earn $25,739 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (4.4%)
More college-educated — 24.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Brownsville
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Brownsville
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 85.2 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Brownsville
Median Home Value
$190k less
$112,600 vs $302,400
Cape Coral
Median Income
$25,739
$72,474 vs $46,735/yr
Cape Coral
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
4.4% vs 6.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brownsville, TX | Cape Coral, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 85.2 ✓ Cheaper | 104.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $112,600 ✓ Lower | $302,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $872 ✓ Lower | $1,630⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $46,735 | $72,474 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter | 28.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 11.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 109⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 120⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 92 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (85) | C+ (87) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.9% | 24.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 69.1% | 92.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWNSVILLE ISD | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 70.4°F | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.9°F ✓ Warmer | 91.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 28.7" ✓ Drier | 57.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 186,999 | 198,912 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.7 | 48.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.3% | 77.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 28.9% ✓ More | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 24.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brownsville's cost of living index is 85.2 vs Cape Coral's 104.9 (US average = 100).
Brownsville is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Cape Coral leads 11 of 19 categories. Brownsville wins 8 and Cape Coral wins 11. 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 Brownsville to Cape Coral or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($112,600 vs $302,400 median home), income ($46,735 vs $72,474), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brownsville, TX and Cape Coral, FL are about 958 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.