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Living in Brownsville, TX

Mid-size city in Texas

Brownsville is a mid-size city in Texas, home to about 188,000 people, with 386,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Brownsville a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $213k and rents for $1,410 a month
  • Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places
  • Low natural disaster risk: 11 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Fewer graduates: 22% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Few dog parks: 1 within 9 mi
  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
  • 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 Brownsville ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
188,000
386,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
72°F / 93°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$213k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,410/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
86
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
No income tax
State income tax per resident · 1.82% property tax
Safety
1.1× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
11 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly hurricanes, cold waves
Top-rated hospitals
1
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
22%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
SAT
255 mi away

Living in Brownsville: common questions

What is the cost of living in Brownsville?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $213k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,410 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 86, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Brownsville?

Texas has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 1.82% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Brownsville safe?

Violent crime is close to the national rate (1.1× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Brownsville?

Brownsville is warm all year: winter days average around 72°F and summer days around 93°F.

Does Brownsville get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from hurricanes, cold waves and flooding: 11 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.85 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Brownsville?

The nearest major airport is SAT, about 255 mi away.

How Brownsville scores

Each bar compares Brownsville with the other 1143 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 size Small city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Quiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Warm all year Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Some community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Average
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Average
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Below average
🐕Dog-friendly Poor
⛰️Outdoors Poor
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Good
🌤️Mild summers Below average
✈️Airport Below average

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Is Brownsville right for you?

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

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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.