Brownsville is at the southernmost point on the mainland of the U.S. (Key West is an island). It sits on the border next to Matamoros, Mexico. The population is majority Mexican-American and the spirit of the city is as much/more Mexican than American. The vibe is also chill and extremely friendly and working class. Most locals speak Spanish and not shockingly the most popular food/restaurant type is Mexican. Newcomers are often turned off by the overwhelming Mexican culture but for locals, there is a warmth and tightness to the city they don’t find elsewhere. 

Brownsville has one of the highest poverty rates in the nation and is ranked the 2nd poorest urban area in the U.S. As a port city Brownsville’s economy depends a fair bit on export/import for city revenue. SpaceX became the city’s largest private employer in 2021/2022 following an investment of $430 million on operations and looks to maintain that position for years to come. That could change things for the city but it would be a mistake to move here without a job.

Multicultural

LookyLOO Review of Brownsville?

The lifestyle of Brownsville is driven by the traditions of Mexican culture. If you stroll around Brownsville you’ll see countless Mexican “zarapes” (blankets/ponchos), and tons of taquerias, and on the right days of the year, you can experience the Charro Days Fiesta. A four-day festival that celebrates the mixed cultures of the twin cities, attended by 50,000 people from both sides of the border. There’s a parade, dancing, music, fireworks, and amazing Mexican food throughout the event. Some of this energy permeates the culture and lifestyle of Brownsville all year long.

Check out the [upcoming happenings](https://visitbtx.com/happeninginbtx/) in Brownsville if you want to understand the social lifestyle a bit better.

We highly recommend visiting Brownsville and staying in the community in a [VRBO](https://vrbo.com/affiliate/p4JS4ZC) rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our [partnership with Expedia](expedia.com/affiliate/9NZ8LBQ) as well. 


Lifestyle 

For most people Brownsville is a culturally interesting port of last resort where they can start over at extremely low costs. If you have a job, say at SpaceX, and are excited to start seriously saving money then Brownsville could make sense for you. 


Saving Money

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**chanclaasesina**
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

I have lived here for over 30 years. I have lived near resacas and have never encountered an alligator. Maybe others can chime in here, but no one I know that lives near resacas has seen them. As for swimming, I wouldn’t recommend swimming in the resacas. There are a couple of public pools that have designated days for dogs to go swimming. Check out the parks and rec website for that. The beach is also great and a 30-40 min drive from Brownsville. My dog loves swimming at South Padre Island and Boca Chica Beach. As for visiting Mexico, just don’t be dumb. It is like visiting a large city in any country. Don’t go after dark and don’t place yourself in a dangerous situation like being in a dark alley by yourself. I am mindful not to wear expensive looking things when I go. I feel safer if I go with someone who is familiar with the area. I hope you enjoy the area! Welcome!

For more reviews of what living in Brownsville is like from locals, check out [The Reviews](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/brownsville/reviews).

Poverty

Reviews of Brownsville from Locals

There isn’t much of a young professional district in Brownsville given its family-focused culture. Downtown is where most head due to the greater density of apartment rentals and short walks to bars and local restaurants. South Padre Island tends to pull in more of the young professionals who wouldn’t dream of being so far from the beach back in Brownsville. 
- Downtown
- South Padre Island


Young Professionals

Downtown 

Anyone looking for fancy is likely to pick one of the nicer suburbs like Rancho Viejo or Palm Valley. Big homes, high safety ratings and excellent schools pull families out of the city to the isolation of the burbs. City families congregate in neighborhoods like Cameron Park, where the homes are nice, there’s plenty of outdoor space and the streets are safe and tree-lined. 
- Cameron Park
- Rancho Viejo
- Palm Valley


Families

Cameron Park 

Brownsville

**Cool-Writer-71**
8mo ago
🦉🦉🦉

I moved here 5 years ago from the upper Valley (Starr) and the pros for me are more choices in food, clothing stores and basically any necessities. Better doctor and hospital choices. Amazing seafood!

The cons is are the drivers. Everyone is always in a hurry and the drivers are horrible! No one knows how to drive or follow any traffic laws. The schools are great but too many little wanna be gangsters. I think Elon is the reason the prices in property and homes are going up. We’ve been looking to buy a house and every single one has space x in its advertising.

Also, what happened to all the money he donated to the schools? My kid’s schools (elementary and middle) are infested with roaches and half of the bathrooms don’t work.

**figgs05**
8mo ago
🦉🦉🦉

I was born and raised in the area. Socially/activity wise, like any other place you can make the most out of it if you put the effort and look for the opportunities to do whatever you want (partying, sports, arts, etc). In terms of peace, yeah it will be peaceful depending on what neighborhood you are looking to move to. No, Space X isn’t improving the area, is gentrifying it. Overall, if you are set, just keep your research going and see how much it aligns with your interests to understand better how much of a good fit might be. A lot of members of the community look to help making it a nice place to live, others not so much.

**chanclaasesina**
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

I have lived here for over 30 years. I have lived near resacas and have never encountered an alligator. Maybe others can chime in here, but no one I know that lives near resacas has seen them. As for swimming, I wouldn’t recommend swimming in the resacas. There are a couple of public pools that have designated days for dogs to go swimming. Check out the parks and rec website for that. The beach is also great and a 30-40 min drive from Brownsville. My dog loves swimming at South Padre Island and Boca Chica Beach. As for visiting Mexico, just don’t be dumb. It is like visiting a large city in any country. Don’t go after dark and don’t place yourself in a dangerous situation like being in a dark alley by yourself. I am mindful not to wear expensive looking things when I go. I feel safer if I go with someone who is familiar with the area. I hope you enjoy the area! Welcome!

**Brownsville/Matamoros: Things to do, what to know (Texas/Tamaulipas Vlog 2022)**



Brownsville, Texas

Chess Capital

Looklyloo Score: 80

Reviews

What's it like to live in Brownsville?