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Economy, jobs and prices in Brownsville, Texas: official figures

The median household income in Brownsville was $52,130 a year in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey (in 2024 dollars), 52nd lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US median was $80,734 and the Texas median $78,476.

Median household income
$52,130
2020-2024
Unemployment rate (ACS)
6.2%
2020-2024
Mean travel time to work
21.4 min
2020-2024
Median gross rent (monthly)
$923
2020-2024
Median home value (owner-occupied)
$139,900
2020-2024
Homes occupied by their owners
61.7%
2020-2024
Households with a broadband subscription
86.1%
2020-2024

What is the per capita income in Brownsville?

Income per resident (per capita income) in Brownsville averaged $22,512 a year in 2020-2024, 9th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $44,673; Texas: $40,752).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How unequal are incomes in Brownsville?

Brownsville's Gini index of household income inequality was 0.466 in 2020-2024 (0 means equal incomes, 1 maximum inequality), 269th most unequal of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US figure was 0.483.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What is the unemployment rate in Brownsville, Texas?

6.2% of the civilian labor force in Brownsville was unemployed on average over 2020-2024 (5,206 people), 243rd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US rate in the same survey was 5.2% and Texas' 5.3%.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of people in Brownsville are working?

59.4% of Brownsville's 142,266 residents aged 16 and over were in the labor force (working or looking for work) in 2020-2024, 89th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 63.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in Brownsville have jobs?

79,222 residents of Brownsville held civilian jobs, 55.7% of those aged 16 and over (US: 59.7%), and 73 served in the armed forces.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What are the main industries in Brownsville?

The largest industry group for working residents of Brownsville was education, health care and social assistance (31.7% of employed residents), followed by retail trade (12.0%) and professional, scientific, management and administrative services (9.1%), 2020-2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in Brownsville work in manufacturing?

Manufacturing employed 6.6% of working residents of Brownsville, 214th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 9.9%); professional, scientific and management services employed 9.1% (US: 12.6%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How long is the commute in Brownsville, Texas?

Commuters in Brownsville took 21.4 minutes on average to get to work in 2020-2024, 223rd shortest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 26.4 minutes); 3.5% travelled an hour or more and 25.7% less than 15 minutes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How do people in Brownsville get to work?

8.4% of workers living in Brownsville worked from home in 2020-2024, 128th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 15.1%). 74.9% drove to work alone, 13.4% carpooled, 0.7% used public transport and 1.3% walked.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What is the average rent in Brownsville, Texas?

The median gross rent (rent plus utilities) in Brownsville was $923 a month in 2020-2024, 21st lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $1,413; Texas: $1,403).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does a house cost in Brownsville?

Owner-occupied homes in Brownsville had a median value of $139,900 in 2020-2024 as estimated by their owners, 31st lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $332,700; Texas: $283,800).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How affordable are homes in Brownsville?

The median home value in Brownsville was 2.7 times the median household income, 48th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 4.1 times).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of people in Brownsville, Texas own their home?

61.7% of the 59,839 occupied homes in Brownsville were lived in by their owners in 2020-2024 and 22,930 were rented, 325th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more for home ownership (US: 65.2%; Texas: 62.6%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of homes in Brownsville have broadband?

86.1% of households in Brownsville had a broadband internet subscription of some type in 2020-2024, 47th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 91.0%; Texas: 91.4%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many households in Brownsville have no internet?

10.1% of households in Brownsville (6,057) had no internet access at home in 2020-2024, 43rd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.5%); 31.7% relied on a cellular data plan alone (US: 11.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How Brownsville compares with other cities in the United States

Median household income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)

Brownsville ranks 772 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian household income (2024 dollars)
769Kingsport$52,490
770Utica$52,484
771Kalamazoo$52,272
772Brownsville$52,130
773Joplin$52,097
774Newark$52,060
775Daytona Beach$52,058
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Per capita income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)

Brownsville ranks 815 of 823, highest first.

RankCityPer capita income (2024 dollars)
812Madera$24,200
813Porterville$24,102
814Gary$23,453
815Brownsville$22,512
816Lynwood$22,464
817Flint$21,720
818Reading$21,406
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Gini index of household income inequality (2020-2024)

Brownsville ranks 269 of 823, highest first.

RankCityGini index of household income inequality
266Mishawaka0.466
267Lynchburg0.466
268Springfield0.466
269Brownsville0.466
270Missoula0.466
271Rocky Mount0.466
272Phoenix0.465
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Unemployment rate (share of civilian labor force) (2020-2024)

Brownsville ranks 243 of 823, highest first.

RankCityUnemployment rate (share of civilian labor force)
240Highland6.2%
241La Mesa6.2%
242Kokomo6.2%
243Brownsville6.2%
244Tucson6.2%
245Milwaukee6.2%
246Gardena6.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Labor force participation rate (16 and over) (2020-2024)

Brownsville ranks 735 of 823, highest first.

RankCityLabor force participation rate (16 and over)
732Auburn59.6%
733Champaign59.6%
734Taylor59.5%
735Brownsville59.4%
736Clearwater59.4%
737Birmingham59.4%
738Owensboro59.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Mean travel time to work (minutes) (2020-2024)

Brownsville ranks 601 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMean travel time to work (minutes)
598Winston-Salem21.5
599New Britain21.5
600Palo Alto21.4
601Brownsville21.4
602Eden Prairie21.4
603Daytona Beach21.4
604Waukesha21.3
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Workers who worked from home (2020-2024)

Brownsville ranks 696 of 823, highest first.

RankCityWorkers who worked from home
693Modesto8.4%
694Yuma8.4%
695Merced8.4%
696Brownsville8.4%
697Decatur8.4%
698Abilene8.4%
699Council Bluffs8.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Workers commuting by public transportation (2020-2024)

Brownsville ranks 527 of 823, highest first.

RankCityWorkers commuting by public transportation
524Laredo0.7%
525Salinas0.7%
526Coconut Creek0.7%
527Brownsville0.7%
528Mesa0.7%
529St. George0.7%
530Fort Pierce0.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Employed residents working in manufacturing (2020-2024)

Brownsville ranks 610 of 823, highest first.

RankCityEmployed residents working in manufacturing
607Highland6.6%
608Newark6.6%
609Monterey Park6.6%
610Brownsville6.6%
611Lakewood6.6%
612Upland6.6%
613Medford6.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Employed residents in education, health care and social assistance (2020-2024)

Brownsville ranks 43 of 823, highest first.

RankCityEmployed residents in education, health care and social assistance
40Peoria32.3%
41Berkeley32.2%
42Yonkers32.1%
43Brownsville31.7%
44Harlingen31.7%
45Boston31.6%
46Madison31.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median gross rent per month (2020-2024)

Brownsville ranks 803 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian gross rent per month
800Albany$931
801Harlingen$928
802Anderson$925
803Brownsville$923
804Waterloo$923
805Terre Haute$922
806Dayton$918
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median value of owner-occupied homes (2020-2024)

Brownsville ranks 793 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian value of owner-occupied homes
790Battle Creek$141,900
791Harlingen$140,600
792South Bend$140,400
793Brownsville$139,900
794Rochester$139,600
795Elkhart$139,500
796Lorain$139,200
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median home value as a multiple of median household income (2020-2024)

Brownsville ranks 773 of 820, highest first.

RankCityMedian home value as a multiple of median household income
770Reading2.8x
771Pontiac2.7x
772Elkhart2.7x
773Brownsville2.7x
774Terre Haute2.7x
775Kansas City2.7x
776Evansville2.7x
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Occupied homes lived in by their owners (2020-2024)

Brownsville ranks 325 of 823, highest first.

RankCityOccupied homes lived in by their owners
322Fort Wayne61.9%
323Albuquerque61.8%
324Largo61.7%
325Brownsville61.7%
326Bend61.7%
327Tigard61.7%
328Avondale61.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Households with a broadband subscription (2020-2024)

Brownsville ranks 777 of 823, highest first.

RankCityHouseholds with a broadband subscription
774Richmond86.2%
775Schenectady86.1%
776Iowa City86.1%
777Brownsville86.1%
778Pontiac86.0%
779Gulfport86.0%
780Springfield86.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Households with no internet access (2020-2024)

Brownsville ranks 43 of 823, highest first.

RankCityHouseholds with no internet access
40Macon-Bibb County10.4%
41Scranton10.3%
42Rockford10.2%
43Brownsville10.1%
44Anderson10.1%
45Lowell10.1%
46New Orleans10.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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Sources

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