The Town FilesBrownsville, Texas
City in Cameron County · population 186,738 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $139,900
- Household income
- $52,130
- Jan low / Jul high
- 53° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 31.2
Brownsville is a city of 186,738 people in Cameron County, Texas. The median home is worth $139,900, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more seaside character than 95% of Texas towns, more walkable than 93% of Texas towns, more vibrant than 91% of Texas towns.
How Brownsville ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brownsville is worth $139,900, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $52,130, which is more affordable than 59% of Texas towns. Median rent is $923 a month. 61.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brownsville | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $139,900 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $923 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $52,130 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 61.7% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.6% | — |
Who lives in Brownsville
| People | Brownsville | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.2 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.0% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 28.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.5% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.7% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 2.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 27.5% | — |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.1% | 89.2% |
Weather in Brownsville
July highs average 95.0°F and January lows 53.1°F. About 26.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 140 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brownsville since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 9, 1980 about 4.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 15, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on May 11, 1971.
Severe weather in Cameron County since 1996
Cameron County has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Flood | DR-4871: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 9, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4798: Hurricane Beryl |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
Jobs and pay in Cameron County
Cameron County had 156,619 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,590 a year. Unemployment was 5.4% in 2023; in Brownsville itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Public schools in Brownsville
78 public schools with 50,376 students, about 15.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| VETERANS MEMORIAL EARLY COLLEGE H S | 9-12 | 2,294 | 17.4 |
| HANNA EARLY COLLEGE H S | 9-12 | 2,278 | 15.8 |
| RIVERA EARLY COLLEGE H S | 9-12 | 2,185 | 15.5 |
| LOPEZ EARLY COLLEGE H S | 9-12 | 1,771 | 13.8 |
| PORTER EARLY COLLEGE H S | 9-12 | 1,683 | 14.3 |
| PACE EARLY COLLEGE H S | 9-12 | 1,629 | 14.5 |
| STILLMAN MIDDLE | 6-8 | 1,047 | 15.0 |
| JUBILEE BROWNSVILLE (charter) | PK-12 | 980 | 18.8 |
| PULLAM EL | PK-5 | 905 | 17.4 |
| FAULK MIDDLE | 6-8 | 882 | 13.6 |
| RESACA MIDDLE | 6-8 | 879 | 17.9 |
| BENAVIDES EL | PK-5 | 868 | 16.1 |
Towns near Brownsville
- Cameron Park, TX1.3 mi · 6,099 people · home $74,800
- Rancho Viejo, TX5.6 mi · 2,838 people · home $264,500
- Los Fresnos, TX5.9 mi · 8,114 people · home $152,200
- Laureles, TX9.0 mi · 4,111 people · home $152,400
- La Paloma, TX11.7 mi · 3,218 people · home $82,400
- Port Isabel, TX11.8 mi · 5,028 people · home $182,600
- Laguna Vista, TX14.0 mi · 3,520 people · home $255,900
- San Benito, TX14.0 mi · 24,861 people · home $85,300
Brownsville questions
Is Brownsville, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brownsville scores better for retirees than 8% of Texas towns and quieter than 2%. 13.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.2).
How much does a house cost in Brownsville?
The median owner-occupied home in Brownsville is valued at $139,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,130, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $923 a month.
What is the weather like in Brownsville?
July highs average 95.0°F and January lows 53.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 26.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Brownsville get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brownsville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 9, 1980. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)