Brownsville and Harlingen receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Brownsville
Harlingen
Opportunity
33 · Bottom 9%
vs33 · Bottom 9%
Growth
65 · Top 24%
vs58 · Top 36%
Climate
73 · Top 38%
vs71 · Top 44%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 15%
vs21 · Bottom 15%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 26%
vs94 · Top 23%
Schools
26 · Bottom 18%
vs32 · Bottom 25%
Access
84 · Bottom 28%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 14%
vs31 · Bottom 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Brownsville | Harlingen | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 189,177 | 72,087 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,130 | $53,645 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $22,512 | $26,512 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,418/sq mi | 1,790/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $139,900 | $140,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $923 | $928 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.7% | 56.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.7% | 6.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.5% | 22.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.7% | 25.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,352 | 336 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.1 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.0% | -0.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 53°F | 50°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 26.8" | 24.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 19.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.2 | 33.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 85 | 33 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.68 | 14.68 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 25.5% | 27.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 34.1% | 34.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 86.7% | 77.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Brownsville
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Harlingen
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Brownsville
54
Your Score
50
Area Score
Harlingen
54
Your Score
50
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Brownsville, TX · Harlingen, TX · How this is calculated: methodology