Brownsville TX
Texas · Pop. 189,177
Brownsville, TX: median household income of $52,130, median rent of $923/mo, 6.2% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$52,130
per year
Median Rent
$923
per month
Median Home
$140k
home value
Unemployment
6.2%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
23.7%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
21 min
one way
City Reality Check balanced
"Brownsville, TX Reality Check"
In Brownsville, the rent-to-income burden runs around 21% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $52,130 and median rent is $923/month. 44% of renters spend 30%+ of income on housing — above the national average. Median home value: $139,900 — that's 2.7× the median income. 62% of households own their home — unusually high for a major US city. Residents put down roots here. With a median age of 31, this is a young city — high energy, high turnover, and a lot of people figuring out adulthood simultaneously. Employment picture: 6.17% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 23.7% — well above the national average. The headline economic numbers hide a bifurcated city. Average commute: 21 minutes — acceptable. Brownsville was founded in 1849 — that's 177 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 146.3 sq miles at 1,293 people/sq mile — sprawling. Elevation: 33 ft — essentially flat — floods are a real conversation. RoastMyCity overall score: 67/100 — It Depends.