Brownsville vs Lake Charles
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $139,900 in Brownsville and $214,300 in Lake Charles.
- Households earn more in Lake Charles ($59,235 vs $52,130 median).
- Brownsville has the warmer winter: January highs of 73°F vs 63°F.
- Brownsville has more scorching days: 140 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 88.
- Brownsville is growing faster: +3.6% since 2020 vs -2.7%.
- Commutes are shorter in Lake Charles (17 vs 21 minutes each way).
- Texas has no state income tax on wages; Louisiana's top rate is 3%.
Side by side
| Brownsville, TX | Lake Charles, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 192,957 | 82,676 |
| Growth since 2020 | +3.6% | -2.7% |
| People per square mile | 1,447 | 1,742 |
| Median age | 31.2 | 36.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25% | 29% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $52,130 | $59,235 |
| Median home value | $139,900 | $214,300 |
| Home value to income | 2.7× | 3.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $923 | $1,109 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 86.0 | 85.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 57.7 | 51.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $64,500 | $64,400 |
| Homeowners | 62% | 61% |
| Top state income tax | None | 3% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.2% | 10.13% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 21.4 | 17.0 |
| Work from home | 8% | 5% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.2% | 6.6% |
| Poverty rate | 23.7% | 23.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 73° / 53° | 63° / 43° |
| July high / low | 95° / 78° | 92° / 76° |
| Precipitation per year | 27 in | 60 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 140 | 88 |
| Nights below freezing | 1 | 11 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 97.3 | 95.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 30% | 62% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.4% | +7.7% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +47.7% | +17.6% |
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: Brownsville: November to April. Lake Charles: February to April and November.
Full monthly tables: Brownsville weather by month and Lake Charles weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $64,500 in Brownsville and $64,400 in Lake Charles. Moving from Brownsville to Lake Charles, you would need about $74,900 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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