Brownsville vs Yuma
The short version
- Brownsville is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 7% lower than in the Yuma area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $139,900 in Brownsville and $230,000 in Yuma.
- Households earn more in Yuma ($65,482 vs $52,130 median).
- Yuma has more scorching days: 181 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 140.
- Yuma is growing faster: +8.4% since 2020 vs +3.6%.
- Commutes are shorter in Yuma (18 vs 21 minutes each way).
- Texas has no state income tax on wages; Arizona's top rate is 2.5%.
Side by side
| Brownsville, TX | Yuma, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 192,957 | 105,227 |
| Growth since 2020 | +3.6% | +8.4% |
| People per square mile | 1,447 | 869 |
| Median age | 31.2 | 33.1 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25% | 21% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $52,130 | $65,482 |
| Median home value | $139,900 | $230,000 |
| Home value to income | 2.7× | 3.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $923 | $1,114 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 86.0 | 92.7 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 57.7 | 73.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $64,500 | $69,500 |
| Homeowners | 62% | 67% |
| Top state income tax | None | 2.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.2% | 8.54% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 21.4 | 18.4 |
| Work from home | 8% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.2% | 6.3% |
| Poverty rate | 23.7% | 15.5% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 73° / 53° | 70° / 48° |
| July high / low | 95° / 78° | 107° / 83° |
| Precipitation per year | 27 in | 3 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 140 | 181 |
| Nights below freezing | 1 | 0 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 97.3 | 92.6 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 30% | 54% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.4% | +0% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +47.7% | +40.8% |
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. Yuma: November to March.
Full monthly tables: Brownsville weather by month and Yuma 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 $69,500 in Yuma. Moving from Brownsville to Yuma, you would need about $80,900 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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