Brandon vs Clearwater
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $339,000 in Brandon and $361,300 in Clearwater.
- Households earn more in Brandon ($79,685 vs $66,381 median).
- Brandon is growing faster: +0% since 2020 vs -2.5%.
- Commutes are shorter in Clearwater (23 vs 28 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Brandon, FL | Clearwater, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 119,767 | 114,364 |
| Growth since 2020 | n/a | -2.5% |
| People per square mile | 3,615 | 4,368 |
| Median age | 37.3 | 46.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34% | 33% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $79,685 | $66,381 |
| Median home value | $339,000 | $361,300 |
| Home value to income | 4.3× | 5.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,784 | $1,658 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 100.9 | 100.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 125.8 | 125.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,700 | $75,700 |
| Homeowners | 56% | 59% |
| Top state income tax | None | None |
| Combined sales tax | 6.98% | 6.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 28.4 | 22.7 |
| Work from home | 18% | 21% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 4% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.6% | 4.2% |
| Poverty rate | 11.4% | 14.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 71° / 53° | 71° / 53° |
| July high / low | 91° / 77° | 91° / 77° |
| Precipitation per year | 50 in | 50 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 94 | 94 |
| Nights below freezing | 1 | 1 |
| Comfortable months | 7 | 7 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 98.8 | 98.2 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 50% | 50% |
| Home prices, past year | +1.1% | -0.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +47.8% | +43.6% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Brandon: October to April. Clearwater: October to April.
Full monthly tables: Brandon weather by month and Clearwater weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $75,700 in Brandon and $75,700 in Clearwater. Moving from Brandon to Clearwater, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Brandon and Clearwater
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Brandon and Clearwater.
Which would you pick?
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