City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

Brownsville, TX

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Brownsville - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

188,023
Residents
$48,675
Median income
$122,400
Median home
$1,047
Median rent (state)

Brownsville - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Brownsville places in the 17th percentile for household income and the 24th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

17th
percentile, household income
18th
percentile, home value
24th
percentile, median rent
24th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Brownsville, TX

188,023 people live in Brownsville, Texas - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $48,675 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 22.5%. Home values in Brownsville run a median of $122,400, and the median resident age is 30.9 years. 22.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 55.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 1,070 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Growing), up 14% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2397.7 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 76.2°F with 26.8 inches of precipitation per year.

Texas tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 97.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,047 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $223 across Texas, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 97.3 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

188,023 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Texas

Median Household Income

$48,675 /yr

Poverty 22.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

How does Brownsville compare to other US cities?

Brownsville measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 17% higher than other cities
Home value 18% pricier than other cities
Median rent 24% pricier than other cities
Safety 24% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Texas, Brownsville ranks #508 of 624 Texas cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Brownsville's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Texas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

17thIncome percentile
24thSafety percentile

17th percentile nationally for median household income · 24th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Brownsville's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Brownsville's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 40 Avg. percentile National median
Brownsville's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Brownsville's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$122,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 82% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Brownsville $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Brownsville, TX Brownsville, TX's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Brownsville, TX-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Brownsville, TX median $48,675/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Brownsville, TX's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Brownsville, TX. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 22.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
188,023
Median Income
$48,675
Median Home Value
$122,400
Median Age
30.9
Poverty Rate
22.5%
Labor force participation
55.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2397.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
456.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1941.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
76.2°F
Annual Precipitation
26.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"

Schools

Total Schools
73
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
184,000 residents186,000 residents188,000 residents190,000 residents192,000 residents194,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 186,582 residents 192,957 residents ▲ +3.4%
Brownsville's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
1,070
housing units authorized
Single-Family
706
detached homes
Multifamily
364
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 937
2020 970
2021 1,129
2022 1,170
2023 824
2024 1,070

Permit volume increased 14% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.6%
Carpool
12.2%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
7.7%
Other
1.2%

Based on 76,932 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Texas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$45
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$223
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Texas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Texas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Brownsville sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,047/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Texas

Grand Prairie
198,564 people
Amarillo
200,945 people
McKinney
202,314 people
Frisco
210,238 people
Killeen
156,144 people
Pasadena
149,345 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Brownsville's 188,023 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Akron, OH
189,526 people
Tempe, AZ
186,419 people
Paradise, NV
186,178 people
Providence, RI
190,214 people
Mobile, AL
185,097 people
Newport News, VA
184,774 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Brownsville's $48,675 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Shrewsbury, WV
$48,674 median income
West City, IL
$48,672 median income
Big Bay, MI
$48,672 median income
Wyaconda, MO
$48,672 median income
Glennville, GA
$48,681 median income
Hopewell, VA
$48,681 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Brownsville, TX Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Brownsville, TX - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 45.5% 9.0% 44.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 94.2% White 45.5% Black or African American 0.3% Asian 0.8% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 9.0% Two or more races 44.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Brownsville compares to nearby Texas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Brownsville (this city) 188,023 $48,675
Grand Prairie 198,564 $78,889
Amarillo 200,945 $62,469
McKinney 202,314 $120,273
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TX FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Brownsville, TX?

What is the population of Brownsville, TX? +

The population of Brownsville, TX stands at 188,023 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Brownsville, TX? +

Median annual household income in Brownsville runs $48,675, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Brownsville? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Brownsville; the closest available measure is the Texas state average, a cost of living index of 97.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Texas vary by metro area.

Is Brownsville, TX safe? +

Brownsville has a total crime rate of 2397.7 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Brownsville, TX? +

The median home value in Brownsville is $122,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Brownsville? +

The average annual temperature in Brownsville runs 76.2°F, 26.8 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.