Metro area profile · Texas
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area market data
How the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area compares with other metro areas for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 433,946
- +3.0% since 2020
- Households
- 138,433
- Median household income
- $52,601
- +35.7% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $136,500
- Jobs located here
- 146,355
- Highest market score
- 77
- Landscaping and lawn care, #18 of 385 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Brownsville-Harlingen metro area has an estimated 433,946 people and 138,433 households. Population estimates show the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area grew 3.0% from 2020 to 2025, in step with the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area is $52,601, 35% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 35.7%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 122, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (53).
Of the business types scored in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area, landscaping and lawn care companies (77); lawn care, cleaning and pest control companies (77); and house cleaning businesses (77) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For landscaping and lawn care companies, that ranks #18 of 385 scored metro areas.
The Brownsville-Harlingen metro area is made up of one county, Cameron County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for convenience stores (2.4 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for landscaping and lawn care companies (73% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and lawn care | 77 | #18 of 385 | 18 | 1.3 | $9.7M | 331 | 27 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 77 | #20 of 387 | 38 | 2.7 | $4.6M | 274 | 74 |
| House cleaning | 77 | #23 of 375 | 10 | 0.7 | $17.5M | 273 | 28 |
| Veterinarians | 73 | #42 of 384 | 19 | 1.4 | $5.3M | 196 | 13 |
| Pet stores | 72 | #38 of 382 | 14 | 1.0 | $7.2M | 160 | 3 |
| Pet businesses | 72 | #44 of 387 | 81 | 5.9 | $1.3M | 143 | 27 |
| Chiropractors | 70 | #45 of 386 | 28 | 2.0 | $4.7M | 197 | 12 |
| Electricians | 68 | #51 of 383 | 21 | 1.5 | $16M | 133 | 38 |
| Home repair trades | 66 | #66 of 387 | 118 | 8.5 | $2.8M | 117 | 126 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 65 | #68 of 387 | 59 | 4.3 | $5.7M | 119 | 71 |
| Funeral homes | 62 | #114 of 377 | 28 | 2.0 | $719K | 106 | 12 |
| Pest control | 60 | #103 of 345 | 10 | 0.7 | $17.5M | 171 | 19 |
| Property management | 59 | #104 of 374 | 22 | 1.6 | Index only | 150 | 48 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 59 | #129 of 387 | 111 | 8.0 | $1.2M | 121 | 75 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 58 | #138 of 386 | 42 | 3.0 | $2.4M | 95 | 11 |
| Roofing and gutters | 55 | #147 of 381 | 38 | 2.7 | $8.8M | 104 | 17 |
| Gas stations | 55 | #165 of 387 | 156 | 11.3 | $2.5M | 104 | 116 |
| Real estate | 54 | #145 of 387 | 348 | 25.1 | Index only | 121 | 151 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 53 | #152 of 387 | 279 | 20.2 | Index only | 120 | 69 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 53 | #180 of 381 | 37 | 2.7 | $3.1M | 102 | 15 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 51 | #156 of 347 | 17 | 1.2 | $4.3M | 105 | 23 |
| Insurance agencies | 45 | #220 of 387 | 280 | 20.2 | $1.2M | 94 | 163 |
| Auto repair and car care | 43 | #257 of 387 | 571 | 41.2 | $204K | 76 | 117 |
| Auto repair shops | 43 | #264 of 387 | 335 | 24.2 | $348K | 78 | 66 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 42 | #243 of 373 | 43 | 3.1 | Index only | 109 | 20 |
| Grocery stores | 40 | #264 of 387 | 93 | 6.7 | $8M | 86 | 38 |
| Tire shops | 39 | #272 of 386 | 82 | 5.9 | $1.4M | 57 | 15 |
| Physical therapy | 39 | #274 of 386 | 69 | 5.0 | $1.9M | 80 | 39 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 37 | #301 of 387 | 876 | 63.3 | $151K | 99 | 492 |
| Nail salons | 37 | #329 of 387 | 94 | 6.8 | $1.1M | 66 | 9 |
| Dry cleaners | 36 | #211 of 272 | 24 | 1.7 | $9.2M | 59 | 4 |
| Barbershops | 35 | #311 of 387 | 143 | 10.3 | $728K | 39 | 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | 35 | #311 of 387 | 84 | 6.1 | $1.4M | 55 | 16 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 35 | #315 of 386 | 59 | 4.3 | $2.2M | 71 | 16 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 35 | #338 of 387 | 801 | 57.9 | $130K | 61 | 68 |
| Hair salons | 35 | #346 of 387 | 388 | 28.0 | $268K | 62 | 34 |
| Gyms | 34 | #331 of 387 | 156 | 11.3 | $465K | 36 | 23 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 34 | #333 of 387 | 251 | 18.1 | $289K | 44 | 38 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 34 | #337 of 387 | 78 | 5.6 | $930K | 46 | 15 |
| Spas and skin care | 33 | #352 of 387 | 170 | 12.3 | $613K | 70 | 21 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 31 | #321 of 387 | 427 | 30.8 | $1.7M | 52 | 62 |
| Pizza | 30 | #335 of 387 | 93 | 6.7 | $4.6M | 91 | 311 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 29 | #246 of 290 | 17 | 1.2 | $6.9M | 50 | 11 |
| Convenience stores | 28 | #331 of 387 | 264 | 19.1 | $2.8M | 36 | 24 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 27 | #358 of 387 | 149 | 10.8 | $2.9M | 78 | 83 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 22 | #355 of 387 | 284 | 20.5 | $781K | 61 | 118 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 21 | #355 of 387 | 421 | 30.4 | $527K | 60 | 138 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 21 | #376 of 387 | 179 | 12.9 | $2.4M | 58 | 99 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 19 | #364 of 387 | 224 | 16.2 | $1.9M | 63 | 311 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 18 | #380 of 387 | 1,226 | 88.6 | $353K | 53 | 282 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 17 | #380 of 387 | 2,006 | 144.9 | $215K | 58 | 685 |
| Laundromats | 15 | #354 of 364 | 39 | 2.8 | $5.7M | 45 | 16 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 14 | #380 of 387 | 132 | 9.5 | $999K | 56 | 339 |
| Child care and preschools | 12 | #384 of 387 | 124 | 9.0 | $371K | 37 | 157 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.3 | Index only | 174 | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.1 | $65.9M | Too few | 11 |
Household spending in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $116.5M | $841 | 88 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $386.2M | $2,790 | 107 |
| Food away from home | $432.2M | $3,122 | 77 |
| Groceries | $746.9M | $5,396 | 85 |
| Personal care products and services | $104.1M | $752 | 75 |
| Child care and other personal services | $46M | $332 | 57 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $72.6M | $524 | 53 |
| Medical and dental services | $131.9M | $953 | 74 |
| Pets | $101.4M | $733 | 81 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $221.8M | $1,602 | 78 |
| Vehicle insurance | $330.7M | $2,389 | 122 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $335.1M | $2,421 | 80 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $174.5M | $1,261 | 89 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $1.8B | $13,220 | 79 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 433,946+3.0% since 2020
- Households
- 138,433
- Median age
- 33.5
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 65%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.8
- Land area
- 892 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 478
- Median household income
- $52,601+35.7% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $71,931
- Median home value
- $136,500
- Jobs located here
- 146,355
- Daytime population
- 405,619Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area 1
- Cameron County, TX426,120 people
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Questions
How fast is the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area at 433,946 people in 2025, up 3.0% since 2020, in step with the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 138,433 households. Median household income rose 35.7% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area spend?
Households in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area spend about $1.8B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $746.9M on groceries and $432.2M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 122, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (53).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area are for landscaping and lawn care companies (77); lawn care, cleaning and pest control companies (77); and house cleaning businesses (77). The Brownsville-Harlingen metro area ranks #18 of 385 scored metro areas for landscaping and lawn care companies.
How does the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area is $52,601 a year, 35% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 3.0% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $136,500, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for convenience stores (2.4 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for landscaping and lawn care companies (73% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 54 of the 56 business types have a score in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Brownsville-Harlingen metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.