Brandon vs Melbourne
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $306,400 in Melbourne and $339,000 in Brandon.
- Households earn more in Brandon ($79,685 vs $66,991 median).
- Brandon has more scorching days: 94 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 63.
- Melbourne is growing faster: +2.8% since 2020 vs +0%.
- Commutes are shorter in Melbourne (23 vs 28 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Brandon, FL | Melbourne, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 119,767 | 87,097 |
| Growth since 2020 | n/a | +2.8% |
| People per square mile | 3,615 | 1,971 |
| Median age | 37.3 | 42.5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34% | 35% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $79,685 | $66,991 |
| Median home value | $339,000 | $306,400 |
| Home value to income | 4.3× | 4.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,784 | $1,525 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 100.9 | 100.0 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 125.8 | 111.7 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,700 | $75,000 |
| Homeowners | 56% | 60% |
| Top state income tax | None | None |
| Combined sales tax | 6.98% | 6.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 28.4 | 22.8 |
| Work from home | 18% | 14% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.6% | 4.6% |
| Poverty rate | 11.4% | 15.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 71° / 53° | 72° / 52° |
| July high / low | 91° / 77° | 90° / 74° |
| Precipitation per year | 50 in | 51 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 94 | 63 |
| Nights below freezing | 1 | 2 |
| 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 | 98.4 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 50% | 91% |
| Home prices, past year | +1.1% | +2.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +47.8% | +40.5% |
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. Melbourne: November to May.
Full monthly tables: Brandon weather by month and Melbourne 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 $75,000 in Melbourne. Moving from Brandon to Melbourne, you would need about $74,300 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Brandon and Melbourne
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 Melbourne.
Which would you pick?
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