Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brownsville, TX
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Brownsville leads 12 of 19 categories
Brownsville
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$46,735
Violent Crime Index
120⚠ High
Population
186,999 ✓ Larger
Lehigh Acres
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,733 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Brownsville, TX
Pros
Homes cost $119k less ($112,600 vs $231,500)
Rent averages $526/mo less ($872 vs $1,398)
Commutes run 16 min shorter each way
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Lehigh Acres
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.2)
More college-educated — 20.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (456.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Lehigh Acres by $12,998/yr
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 5.5%)
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Households earn $12,998 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.5%)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than Brownsville
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Brownsville
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 85.2 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Brownsville
Median Home Value
$119k less
$112,600 vs $231,500
Lehigh Acres
Median Income
$12,998
$59,733 vs $46,735/yr
Lehigh Acres
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brownsville, TX | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 85.2 ✓ Cheaper | 102.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $112,600 ✓ Lower | $231,500 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $872 ✓ Lower | $1,398⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $46,735 | $59,733 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 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) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.9% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 69.1% | 81.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWNSVILLE ISD | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 70.4°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.9°F ✓ Warmer | 90.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 28.7" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 186,999 ✓ Larger | 124,440 |
| Median Age | 30.7 | 34.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.3% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 28.9% ✓ More | 27.4% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brownsville's cost of living index is 85.2 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Brownsville is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Brownsville leads 12 of 19 categories. Brownsville wins 12 and Lehigh Acres wins 7. 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 Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($112,600 vs $231,500 median home), income ($46,735 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brownsville, TX and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 980 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.