Places › California › Brawley

Living in Brawley, CA

Small city in California

Brawley is a small city in California, home to about 27,000 people, with 156,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Brawley a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places
  • Great outdoors: plenty of parks
  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $349k and rents for $1,850 a month
  • Dog-friendly: 1 dog park within 9 mi

👎 Cons

  • Fewer graduates: 14% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Hot summers: highs around 107°F
  • Smaller job market: about 156,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Brawley ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
27,000
156,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
72°F / 107°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$349k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,850/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
95
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,279
State income tax per resident · 0.72% property tax
Safety
1.2× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
5 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly earthquakes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
0
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Below average
Tests below US average · 24 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
14%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
PSP
81 mi away

Living in Brawley: common questions

What is the cost of living in Brawley?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $349k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,850 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 95, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Brawley?

California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.72% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Brawley safe?

Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.2× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Brawley?

Public schools in Brawley test below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 24 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Brawley?

Brawley is warm all year: winter days average around 72°F and summer days around 107°F.

Does Brawley get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 5 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.96 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Brawley?

The nearest major airport is PSP, about 81 mi away.

How Brawley scores

Each bar compares Brawley with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundSome transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature on the doorstep Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateWarm all year Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingAffordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceRelaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityFriendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingApartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingGood
💸Low taxesBelow average
💼Job marketPoor
🏥HealthcareBelow average
🏫SchoolsBelow average
🎓EducationPoor
🧸Kids & familyBelow average
🐕Dog-friendlyGood
⛰️OutdoorsExcellent
🎭CulturePoor
👮SafetySafe
🌪️Few natural disastersGood
☀️SunnyExcellent
🌤️Mild summersPoor
✈️AirportGood

Places like Brawley

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

El Centro, CASmall city39 $377k$1,850/moSafe Ridgecrest, CASmall city40 $253k$2,060/moSafe Calexico, CASmall city35 $384k$1,850/moVery safe Los Banos, CASmall city44 $421k$2,070/moSafe Twentynine Palms, CASmall city41 $290k$2,910/moSafe Bullhead City, AZSmall city42 $323k$1,900/moSafe

Nearby

El Centro, CASmall city · 13 mi away39 $377k$1,850/moSafe Calexico, CASmall city · 20 mi away35 $384k$1,850/moVery safe Yuma, AZSmall city · 57 mi away49 $284k$1,890/moSafe San Luis, AZSmall city · 58 mi away46 $236k$1,890/moVery safe Coachella, CASmall city · 61 mi away39 $399k$2,910/moSafe La Quinta, CASmall city · 63 mi away45 $681k$2,910/moVery safe

See all the best places to live in California.

Is Brawley right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.