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Car Insurance in Brownsville, TX [Cheap Rates + Best Coverage]

Brownsville, TX Statistics Details
Population 183,829
Population Density 2,286 people per square mile
Average Cost of Insurance $5,976.91
Cheapest ProvidersUSAA and State Farm

Founded in 1848, Brownsville is nestled right near the Mexican border. If you are thinking of moving to Brownsville, Texas, and are expecting to be one of its residents on the road, take a look at this car insurance guide and then keep reading. You need to know what to expect when driving around Brownsville.

You don’t want to receive a traffic ticket or sign up with an expensive insurance provider, which is why we will cover everything you need to know about Brownsville’s rates and laws.

We will also cover what it is like to live in Brownsville, covering things like crime rates and stolen vehicles.

Let’s get started. Want to start comparison shopping today? Enter your zip code in our FREE online tool above.

Table of Contents

The Cost of Car Insurance in Brownsville

Cost is an important factor when deciding where to move. You have to think about things from rent to property taxes. One cost factor that most people don’t consider is the changing costs of car insurance.

To help you understand car insurance costs and pick the most cost-efficient provider in Brownsville, we are going to go through everything from how gender impacts rates to your driving record.

We’ve partnered with Quadrant to bring you the following data about rates in Brownsville, so let’s dive right in.

– Male vs. Female vs. Age

Gender and age are two demographic factors that insurers look at to determine prices. Though people expect age to be a consideration (consider a teenage driver compared to a middle-aged driver), gender often surprises people.

Insurers consider males to be riskier drivers, which means most males pay more for car insurance.

Insurance rates based on gender has been banned in some states, but not in Texas.

Before we get into the rate differences between genders, though, let’s take a look at rates based on age in Brownsville.

Age 17253560 Cheapest Age
Average Annual Rate $8,096.30$3,393.01$2,746.66$2,594.5760

Once drivers hit 35 years of age, their rates start to decline. In fact, 60-years-old is the cheapest age to be for car insurance rates.

But what about gender? We’ve mentioned that females pay less than males, and Brownsville’s rates prove this.

  • Brownsville Male Average Premium: $4,207
  • Brownsville Female Average Premium: $3,974

Let’s now combine age and gender so you can get an idea of what your demographic’s rate will be in Brownsville.

DemographicRate (Cheapest)
Married 60-year old female$2,521.52
Married 60-year old male$2,667.62
Married 35-year old female$2,705.56
Married 35-year old male$2,787.76
Single 25-year old female$3,296.11
Single 25-year old male$3,489.90
Single 17-year old female$7,375.30
Single 17-year old male$8,817.30

The table shows that males consistently pay more than females and that the older drivers become, the less they pay for car insurance.

– Cheapest Zip Codes in Brownsville

Location is another factor that insurers look at when determining rates. If you live in a bad part of town known, one known for vandalism and vehicle thefts, you will be charged more.

You could also be charged more if you live in an area with a high number of traffic accidents or an area with a high number of natural disasters.

Let’s take a look at costs by zip code in Brownsville.

Zip Code Average Annual Rate
78586 $5,976.91
78575 $6,051.22
78526 $6,253.86
78521 $6,279.52
78520 $6,338.59

While some cities can have zip codtene price differences in the thousand-dollar range, the difference between the cheapest and most expensive zip codes in Brownsville is less than $400.

This is good, as your prices shouldn’t change too drastically if you move around the city.

– What’s the Best Car Insurance Company in Brownsville?

Because companies vary drastically in what they charge, we want to make sure you are familiar with providers’ prices in Brownsville so you can make sure you are picking a provider that fits your budget.

So stick with us as we go through everything from providers with the cheapest rates to commute rates.

– Cheapest Car Insurance Rates by Company

The table below shows the rates for companies in Brownsville.

GroupMarried 35-year old femaleMarried 35-year old maleMarried 60-year old femaleMarried 60-year old maleSingle 17-year old femaleSingle 17-year old maleSingle 25-year old femaleSingle 25-year old maleAverage
Allstate$3,681.96$3,733.57$3,640.02$3,640.02$9,371.36$11,374.56$4,561.39$4,782.02$5,598.11
Nationwide$3,467.56$3,542.98$3,050.46$3,253.08$9,498.81$12,319.19$4,041.58$4,398.68$5,446.54
Progressive$2,706.00$2,601.39$2,379.23$2,437.45$10,529.58$11,778.98$3,212.83$3,269.39$4,864.36
American Family$2,658.88$2,969.76$2,494.14$2,866.78$7,100.43$9,211.06$3,832.12$4,347.76$4,435.12
GEICO$2,387.78$2,593.95$2,374.09$2,743.24$5,028.63$5,109.24$2,548.01$2,461.25$3,155.77
USAA$1,951.90$1,987.81$1,864.29$1,884.37$5,214.06$5,733.21$2,617.21$2,850.94$3,012.97
State Farm$2,084.87$2,084.87$1,848.42$1,848.42$4,884.22$6,194.83$2,259.66$2,319.26$2,940.57

The data shows that it is important to consider not just picking a provider based on the overall rate but picking based on your demographic. A company may have cheaper rates for your demographic, even if its overall rate seems more expensive.

– Best Car Insurance for Commute Rates

The average driver in Texas travels 15,533 miles a year. Unfortunately, that places most Texas drivers under the insurers’ category of drivers with a long commute.

Since the majority of providers charge drivers with long commutes more, you could be paying more than you thought.

Below, you can see what providers charge based on commute.

Group10 Miles Commute. 6000 Annual Mileage.25 Miles Commute. 12000 Annual Mileage.Average
Allstate$5,468.60$5,727.63$5,598.12
American Family$4,435.12$4,435.12$4,435.12
GEICO$3,091.21$3,220.34$3,155.78
Nationwide$5,446.54$5,446.54$5,446.54
Progressive$4,864.35$4,864.35$4,864.35
State Farm$2,940.57$2,940.57$2,940.57
USAA$2,973.44$3,052.51$3,012.98

The good news is that there are a number of insurers who don’t increase prices for a long commute. If you have a long commute and want to save money, it may help to switch to a provider who doesn’t charge more.

– Best Car Insurance for Coverage Level Rates

If you’ve ever been in an accident, you understand how important a high coverage level is. You don’t want to be stuck covering accident costs out of pocket. High coverage can be expensive, though, if you don’t take care to shop around and take advantage of discounts.

Below, you can see the different costs of coverage levels in Brownsville.

GroupLowMediumHighAverage
Allstate$5,475.74$5,552.37$5,766.24$5,598.12
American Family$4,048.55$4,225.13$5,031.67$4,435.12
GEICO$2,891.99$3,072.91$3,502.42$3,155.77
Nationwide$5,197.43$5,347.32$5,794.88$5,446.54
Progressive$4,570.63$4,840.89$5,181.55$4,864.36
State Farm$2,751.29$2,917.83$3,152.58$2,940.57
USAA$2,894.38$2,996.18$3,148.37$3,012.98

Most providers charge less than a thousand dollars for an upgrade from low to high coverage. By shopping around for providers, you can find a provider with an economical high coverage.

– Best Car Insurance for Credit History Rates

Your credit score is so important that even car insurance providers are concerned with it. If you have a bad credit score, a provider may increase your rate significantly.

GroupGoodFairPoorAverage
Allstate$4,445.49$5,206.29$7,142.56$5,598.11
American Family$3,387.32$3,876.44$6,041.58$4,435.11
GEICO$1,842.48$2,758.48$4,866.36$3,155.77
Nationwide$4,529.65$5,219.15$6,590.83$5,446.54
Progressive$4,338.41$4,712.79$5,541.87$4,864.36
State Farm$2,062.69$2,590.94$4,168.07$2,940.57
USAA$2,052.61$2,552.70$4,433.62$3,012.98

While a fair credit score will only cost you a few hundred dollars a year, a bad credit score will add thousands onto your yearly rate.

– Best Car Insurance for Driving Record Rates

Your driving record is another important factor. While insurers vary in what they view as the worst offense, DUIs, accidents, and speeding tickets are guaranteed to raise your rates at every provider.

GroupClean recordWith 1 Speeding ViolationWith 1 AccidentWith 1 DUIAverage
Allstate$4,421.91$4,421.91$6,651.95$6,896.68$5,990.18
American Family$4,056.50$4,056.50$5,117.97$4,509.50$4,561.32
GEICO$2,678.96$3,473.22$3,516.07$2,954.84$3,049.96
Nationwide$4,699.65$5,334.68$4,699.65$7,052.20$5,483.83
Progressive$4,242.53$4,797.26$5,434.70$4,982.93$4,886.72
State Farm$2,620.75$2,620.75$2,994.66$3,526.12$3,047.18
USAA$2,257.33$2,594.41$3,318.77$3,881.38$3,152.49

At some companies (like Nationwide), a speeding ticket is more detrimental to your rates than an accident. DUIs can add thousands to your rate, though, which is why it’s so important to never drink and drive.

– Car Insurance Factors in Brownsville

There are multiple economic factors that can influence car insurance rates. If you move to a city with a poor economy, there’s a good chance you’ll end up paying more for car insurance.

To get an overview of Brownsville’s economy, we are going to look at everything from household incomes to common employments.

So stick with us to see how well Brownsville is growing as a city.

– Median Household Income

No household earns the exact same amount, but we can get a general idea of the economy by looking at the median household income in Brownsville.

Brownsville Median Household Income

The average household in Brownsville earns $35,636, which is less than both the U.S. and Texas averages. The good news is that Brownsville’s median household income increased by 4.03 percent from 2016 – 2017.

While Brownsville’s median income is still a long way away from the U.S. average ($60,336 ), the small growth in income is encouraging, especially since a large portion of Brownsville residents’ income goes to car insurance.

The average household in Brownsville pays 16.77 percent of its income on car insurance.

This percentage is incredibly high. Of course, everyone’s percentage will be slightly different, but in general, Brownsville households spend an exorbitant amount on insuring cars.

If you want to calculate the percentage you pay toward car insurance, try out our free calculator below.

CalculatorPro

– Homeownership in Brownsville

With low incomes and high insurance premiums in Brownsville, we want to see how many residents rent versus own their homes. Owning a home can actually help insurance rates. Why?

Insurers view homeowners as more responsible, and many insurers offer home and auto bundling discounts. 

Let’s take a look at the number of Brownsville residents who own their homes.

In 2017, 62.4 percent of Brownsville residents owned homes. This is a slight decrease from 2016, when there was 63.1 percent homeownership in Brownsville.

Brownsville’s rate of homeownership is great, as it is slightly above the Texas average (62 percent homeownership) and only slightly below the U.S. average (63.8 percent homeownership).

Another aspect we want to look at is property value, to see if the value of homes has anything to do with the high rate of homeownership.

Brownsville Property Value

The average property value of a home in Brownsville is $85,900, which is considerably less than the Texas and U.S. averages (which are both over $150,000).

The cheaper property values could be why more Brownsville residents can afford to own homes, rather than rent.

– Education in Brownsville

If you are moving to Brownsville and want to continue your education, it’s important that there are higher education opportunities. Brownsville has multiple higher education opportunities, and in 2017, these schools awarded a total of 1,412 degrees.

Below, you can see what schools Brownsville has to offer.

Brownsville Universities

The largest school in Brownsville is Texas Southmost College, which awarded nearly a third of the degrees (577) given in 2017. Texas Southmost College is also an open enrollment school (community college), offering a variety of one- or two-year associate degrees.

https://youtu.be/jQnGDkMwcew

The college also has online courses, which may help if you are too busy to attend classes.

So if you are looking to get an education in Brownsville, there are affordable and accessible options right in the city.

– Wage by Race & Ethnicity in Common Jobs

Now that we’ve talked about education opportunities, let’s take a look at residents’ wages by race and ethnicity. The table below shows how wages in Texas vary in the common job field of miscellaneous managers.

Race or Ethnicity Average Salary Percentage of Income Going to Car Insurance
Asian $107,9395.54%
White $103,7675.76%
Two or More Races$89,7146.66%
American Indian$74,9007.98%
Black $73,3118.15%
Other $64,9559.20%
Other Native American $60,6779.85%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders $46,95912.73%

Since these are wages for Texas, not Brownsville, the percentages will likely be higher in Brownsville (as the average income is much lower). The wage variations should give you a good idea of car insurance percentages, though.

Between the highest and lowest paid races or ethnicities, there is over a 5 percent difference in the percentage of income going to car insurance.

– Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

Just like race and ethnicity wage variations, genders also show differences in wages. Below are the wages in Texas for common jobs, shown by gender.

Brownsville Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

On average, males earn 1.41 times more than females.

  • Average Male Salary: $64,953
  • Average Female Salary: $45,959

Males make significantly more than females, which means their percentage of income going to car insurance will be less.

– Poverty by Age & Gender

Given the differences in wages, it shouldn’t be a surprise that there are generally more females living in poverty than males. Below, you can see the poverty rates in Brownsville by demographic.

Brownsville Poverty by Age and Gender

While there are more females than males in poverty after age 16, there are a number of young males living in poverty in Brownsville. In fact, the largest demographic living in poverty in Brownsville is males aged 6 – 11.

The second- and third-largest demographics are females aged 6 – 11 and 35 – 44. Unfortunately, Brownsville’s poverty rates are quite high, with 180 thousand people living in poverty.

31.4 percent of the Brownsville population that lives in poverty lives below the poverty line, which is higher than the national average of 13.4 percent.

This a high percentage, which means that compared to other cities, Brownsville struggles greatly with poverty.

– Poverty by Race & Ethnicity

The table below digs deeper into the poverty statistics in Brownsville by looking at poverty by race and ethnicity.

Brownsville Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

There are 55,157 Hispanics living in poverty, followed by 54,923 whites. Compared to these two demographics, the other races and ethnicities only make up a small percentage of those living in poverty.

– Employment by Occupations

Now that we’ve covered incomes, property values, and poverty rates, let’s take a look at what the most common employments are in Brownsville.

  1. Office and Administrative Support Occupations (8,788 people)
  2. Sales and Related Occupations (8,209 people)
  3. Education, Training, and Library Occupations (6,719 people)

From 2016 – 2017, Brownsville’s employment rate grew at 1.7 percent, an increase from 66.9 thousand employees to 68 thousand employees. Hopefully, Brownsville’s employment levels will continue to rise.

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Driving in Brownsville

If you’ve ever driven through a city, you know it can be more challenging than navigating rural or suburban roads. It is easy to quickly become frustrated dealing with traffic and frequent construction.

Familiarizing yourself with a city’s streets is a great way to lessen the frustration when trying to get to your first day of work in a new city.

To help you prepare, we are going to go through everything you need to know about driving in Brownsville, from roads to vehicle theft.

– Roads in Brownsville

The last thing you want to do is move to a city without easy access to a highway or with multiple tolls. To see how easy it is to get around Brownsville, we are going to look at everything from highways to red light cameras.

Let’s get started.

– Major Highways

While you don’t want the sound of cars roaring in your ears as you try to sleep, it is important that a city has highways so you can easily exit the city when needed.

The state of Texas has 25 active routes that make up 3,501 miles of roadway.

Two of these major routes, I-69E and I-169, run right through Brownsville.

Brownsville_Highway_Map_

Unfortunately, I-169 is a 10-mile stretch of the highway intended specifically for tolls. If you plan on taking this route frequently, you may want to invest in a Texas TxTag.

You will have to pay a fee to buy the device, but you will get the cheapest rates at tolls (up to 50 percent less). Users can also set up autopay.

Since Brownsville is right by a major toll road, having a TxTag will save money in the long run, and it saves time in not having to dig through loose change.

– Popular Road Trips & Sites

If you’re someone who prefers an evening out to watching Netflix at home, then you don’t want to move to a city with nothing to do. The video below shows the main attractions Brownsville boasts.

Because Brownsville is situated so close to Mexico, there is a strong influence of Mexican heritage in the city — from festivals to food. When you’ve seen everything Brownsville has to offer, you can also venture out on a number of road trips throughout Texas.

  • Hidden Beaches Road Trip — One of the beaches listed on this trip is right in Brownville. If you want to venture out to visit a few other beaches, this trip will take you the best of the hidden beaches in Texas.
  • Abandoned Places Road Trip — If the creepiness of abandoned places appeals to you, this road trip will take you to some of the most forlorn places in Texas.
  • Lighthouse Road Trip — If you enjoy beaches and historic lighthouses, then you need to travel up the coast to see some of the best lighthouses Texas has to offer.
  • Taco Road Trip — Love tacos? This trip will take you the best taco places in Texas, including one in Brownsville.

These road trips are great to venture outside of the city but don’t forget to visit Brownsville’s attractions, such as its hidden beach and local taco place.

– Brownsville Speeding & Red Light Cameras

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) clearly shows that while Texas uses red-light cameras, it doesn’t use speeding cameras.

Recently, the Texas House passed a bill to ban red-light cameras, meaning they have been turned off across the state.

This means that the red-light cameras in and around Brownsville will soon be obsolete. While Brownsville doesn’t list the number of red-light cameras it has, a PhotoEnforced tracking site shows that there is only one red-light camera in Brownsville.

– Vehicles in Brownsville

If you own a vehicle in Brownsville, you need to be aware of risk factors, such as speed traps or vehicle theft. By being prepared with proper insurance coverages, you can help protect your belongings.

To give you an idea of what to watch out for when owning a vehicle in Brownsville, we are going to go through everything from cars per household to crime rates.

Let’s dive right in.

– Brownsville Cars Per Household

39.4 percent of Brownsville households own a total of two cars.

Brownsville Car OwnershipThe next most popular number of cars is one, making up 23 percent of households. Only a small percentage (3.79 percent) own more than five cars in Brownsville.

 – Households Without a Car

There is also a small percentage of households who don’t own cars in Brownsville.

2015 Households without Vehicles2015 Vehicles per Household2016 Households without Vehicles2016 Vehicles per Household
7.6%1.739.6%1.73

The percentage of households without vehicles went up in 2017. This means that the number of households owning vehicles is decreasing in Brownsville.

– Speed Traps in Brownsville

Speed traps are generally detested by drivers who like to press the pedal a little too much. Since cops hide out of sight in speed traps, there is no chance to slow down to the speed limit.

Brownsville didn’t make it onto the list of the top 10 worst cities for speed traps, but this doesn’t mean there won’t be speed traps in Brownsville.

Even if there were no speed traps, it’s still not worth it to speed. Speeding is a leading cause of crashes, often deadly ones. Not to mention the increased car insurance rates for a speeding ticket.

– Vehicle Theft in Brownsville

How safe is your vehicle when you park it outside a store or on the street? According to the FBI’s 2013 crime report, there was a total of 257 vehicles stolen in 2013.

Neighborhood Scout, another major reporter of crimes, found that 141 vehicles were stolen in 2017. That’s over a 100 car difference, which is good news (though Brownsville police do say there’s been a recent surge in thefts).

To lower your chances of having your vehicle stolen, it may behoove you to know Neighborhood Scout lists the safest neighborhood to live in as Reid Hope King Colonia.

Brownsville_Safest_Neighborhood_

Neighborhood Scout’s list of other safe neighborhoods is below.

  • Cameron Park/Cameron Park Colonia
  • Dana Ave/Morrison Rd
  • San Pedro Colonia
  • South Point Colonia/Villa Pancho Colonia
  • Kopernik Shores/Monica
  • Pablo Kisel Blvd
  • Villa Nueva
  • Fm 803/California Rd
  • Houston Rd/Sinaloa Dr

Now that we know what the safest neighborhoods are, let’s take a look at your chance of being the victim of violent crime in Brownsville.

Brownsville residents have a one in 284 chance of being the the victim of a violent crime. This is a slightly lower chance than Texas’s (a one in 228 chance).

Let’s break down the violent crimes that occur in Brownsville.

Brownsville Violent Crimes 2017MurderRape Robbery Assault
Report Total580133428
Rate Per 1,000 People0.030.440.732.33

You have the highest chance of being the victim of a violent assault in Brownsville. Violent crimes, combined with annual crimes, have resulted in Brownsville earning a crime index of 14.

This crime index rating means that Brownsville is only safer than 14 percent of all U.S. cities.

Below you can see the number of annual crimes in Brownsville that helped contribute to its low crime index rating.

Crime Type Violent Property Total
Number of Crimes 6465,4876,133
Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents)3.5229.9333.46

By living in a safe neighborhood, you can help reduce your chances of being the victim of a crime.

– Traffic

Traffic is more than an annoyance — it can also be dangerous. To see how safe Brownsville’s roads are, we are going to look at various traffic factors, from congestion to crash statistics.

This way, you can be prepared for what you’ll have to navigate in Brownsville. Traffic data will also prepare you for how early you’ll need to leave to work.

So stick with us as we cover Brownsville’s traffic data.

– Traffic Congestion in Brownsville

Brownsville isn’t listed on major traffic scorecards, such as Inrix or TomTom, which is good. 

This doesn’t mean there won’t be usual city traffic, but Brownsville’s traffic isn’t terrible compared to other cities, so you won’t be sitting in traffic for hours during rush hour.

– Transportation

Since Brownsville residents aren’t spending an excessive amount of time sitting in traffic, the average commute time in Brownsville is 19.6 minutes (39.2 minutes a day).

This is considerably less than the average U.S. commute time of 25.1 minutes. An extra 10 minutes a day can be the difference between eating breakfast or simply getting by on a cup of coffee.

Brownsville Commute Time

Only a few residents in Brownsville (1.16 percent) have a super commute of 90+ minutes.

Now that we’ve covered commute time, have you ever paid attention to how people commute to work?  If so, you’ve probably noticed that most people drive alone to work. Below are the most common commute methods in Brownsville.

Brownsville Commuter Transportation

Over 11 percent of Brownsville residents carpool, while over 2 percent work at home.

– How Safe are Brownsville’s Streets & Roads?

Every area has that dangerous intersection or sharp curve in the road that puts locals on high-alert every time.

To help give you an idea of how dangerous Brownsville’s roads are, we are going to take a look at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) crash data for Brownsville.

Below is the total number of fatalities for all crashes in Cameron County.

Fatalities (All Crashes) by County 20132014201520162017
Cameron County 3926254140

In 2014 and 2015, the number of fatal crashes decreased. Unfortunately, fatal crashes increased again from 2016 – 2017. Do you know what causes the majority of these fatal crashes?

Below, you can see the breakdown of common crash type fatalities, from drunk driving to intersection crashes.

Cameron County Crash Type 20132014201520162017
Involving an Alcohol-Impaired Driver (BAC 0.8+)201291718
Single Vehicle Crash1918162328
Involving Speeding 10108910
Involving a Roadway Departure 211292225
Involving an Intersection or Intersection-Related1146114

In 2017, the major crashes that led to fatalities were single-vehicle crashes, roadway departures, and drunk driving. These fatal crashes go beyond just vehicle passengers — NHTSA also recorded the number of pedestrian and pedalcyclist fatalities.

Person Type Fatalities20132014201520162017
Passenger Car Occupant 11751217
Pedestrian 877510
Pedalcyclist 13102

In 2017, the number of car occupant and pedestrian fatalities spiked. Hopefully, this won’t be predictive of fatalities in the future. Make sure to be cautious when walking and cycling near roadways and wear bright, reflective clothing.

Another set of road safety data to take a look at is the NHTSA’s report on highways with most fatal crashes for Texas.

Rural InterstateUrban InterstateFreeway and Expressway Other Minor Arterial Collector Arterial Local Unknown
17640226098265260026110

A number of fatal crashes occur on minor arterial and collector arterial roads. What’s the difference between the two?

Arterial roads are meant for high volumes of traffic, such as highways, meaning minor arterial roads handle a fair bit of traffic, but not as much as a highway. Collector arterial roads are local roads that collect traffic and take it to minor and major arterial roads.

Since arterial roads have a large number of crashes occur on them, let’s look at the U.S. Department of Transportation’s data on railroad and highway crash incidents.

Highway User SpeedCalendar YearCountyHighwayHighway User TypeRail Equipment TypeNon-Suicide Fatality Non-Suicide Injury
02012CAMERONBOCA CHICA (US281)Pick-up truckFreight Train00

If you frequently drive on Boca Chica Highway, make sure to stay alert.

– Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report

To see how safe Brownsville’s drivers are, we want to take a look at Brownsville’s rating from Allstate’s Best Drivers Report.

2018 Best Drivers Report RankAverage Years Between ClaimsRelative Claim Likelihood (Compared to National Average)2018
Drivewise®
Hard-Braking
Events Per
1/1,000 Miles
Suburban
Metro Area
Average Years
Between Claims
(Suburban
Metro Area)
113.6-26.30%N/ABrownsville-Harlingen, TX14.3

Brownsville ranked number one in the report for safe drivers. This is fantastic, and the number of years passing between claims shows that over a decade passes for most drivers before they get in an accident serious enough to file a claim.

Allstate’s rating should give you confidence when driving in Brownsville, as it is the number one city for safe driving.

– Ridesharing

Rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft have become a popular alternative to the classic rideshare taxis. Let’s take a look at what the cheapest ridesharing options are in Brownsville (listed from cheapest to most expensive).

  • Lyft — Lyft has the cheapest rates in Brownsville, though Lyft Plus will cost more.
  • Uber — Uber’s rates are similar to Lyft, but Uber XL is the most expensive option.

There aren’t traditional taxis available in Brownsville, which means you’ll have to use Uber or Lyft if you want a rideshare option.

– E-star Repair Shops

Esurance’s E-star Repair system helps drivers find the best repair shop in their area. Below, you can see the top repair shops in Brownsville.

Name of EStar Repair FacilityAddressContact Information
Tipotex Chevrolet 1600 N. Expressway
Brownsville, TX 78521
email: [email protected]
P: (956) 983-1875
F: (956) 983-1864

There is only one E-star–rated repair shop in Brownsville and no E-star rated shops within 50 miles. While this does limit repair options, at least there is a shop situated directly in the heart of Brownsville.

– Weather

Weather can be an important factor for people when they move. If you hate the heat, you don’t want to move to a place with hot weather year-round.

To see what Brownsville’s weather is like, we are going to look at U.S. Climate Data’s information on Brownsville.

Brownsville Weather AveragesDetails
Annual High Temperature83.7°F
Annual Low Temperature65.5°F
Average Temperature74.6°F
Average Annual Precipitation - Rainfall27.37 inches

Brownsville is hot compared to other cities in Texas, which explains why there isn’t an average snowfall recorded. Let’s look at the weather a little further by looking at Brownsville’s natural disasters.

Cameron County has had 20 natural disasters, significantly greater than the U.S. average of 13 natural disasters.

Since Brownsville is right off the coast, a number of these natural disasters have been hurricanes. Other natural disasters in Brownsville include the following: storms, floods, tornadoes, winds, fire, tropical storms, and heavy rain.

With such a high number of natural disasters occurring in Brownville, it is worth it to invest in comprehensive coverage for your vehicle.

Comprehensive coverage will cover costs for damages that occur from natural disasters, animal collision, theft, and vandalism. So if a hurricane drops a tree on your car, you can rest easier knowing you have comprehensive coverage to protect your assets.

 – Public Transit

For those that depend on transportation other than cars, Brownsville has a metro bus system. Below are the prices for the Brownsville buses.

  •  $1.00 for general fare
  • $0.25 for transfers
  • $2.50 for a day pass
  • $12.00 for a weekly pass
  • 20 ride passes (different prices for students, etc,)

There are discounts available for students, seniors, and people with disabilities. Brownsville also has a paratransit bus system for disabled individuals.

– Alternate Transportation

Brownsville doesn’t offer alternate transportation such as a scooter or bike rentals from Lime or Bird. Unless you have your own scooter or bike, you’ll have to drive or take the bus to get around town.

– Parking in Metro Areas

We want to jump into the difficulty level of finding parking in Brownsville.

In 2014, Brownsville increased its metered parking rates on streets.

If you want to park on the street, you’ll have to pay the following amounts or risk a parking ticket.

  • 10 cents for 12 minutes
  • 25 cents for 30 minutes

Brownsville’s meters only accept dimes and quarters, so you’ll need to make sure to have proper change on you for parking. These increased rates are meant to make finding a parking spot easier, as Brownsville’s higher costs mean a higher turnover rate in parking.

You can also park at a parking garage in Brownsville. In fact, Brownsville just opened up a new parking garage in 2015.

This makes it easier for people to get to work, as it frees up street parking. If you are leaving Brownsville, there is also satellite parking available at the local airport, Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport.

For those that own an electric vehicle in Brownsville, though, you may find it a little harder to find an electric vehicle charging station.

 There are only nine electric charging stations in Brownsville, TX.

So if you own an electric vehicle, make sure it always fully charged before venturing around Brownsville.

– Air Quality in Brownsville

City pollution is notorious for having a detrimental effect on people’s health. Vehicles contribute to a significant portion of air pollution, which is why the more crowded the area, the worse the air.

Let’s see how Brownsville’s air is by looking at the Environmental Protection Agency’s report.

Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Air Quality 201620172018
Days with AQI366365365
Days Good 277306246
Days Moderate8759119
Days Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 2--
Days Unhealthy ---
Days Very Unhealthy ---

Brownsville’s air quality seems to have improved, as it had two days that were unhealthy for sensitive groups in 2016, but then none in 2017 or 2018. So if you chose to live in Brownsville, rest assured that the air quality is decent, especially for a city.

Military & Veterans

Car insurance is confusing, and as military personnel or a veteran, it can be hard to know what company is the best or what discounts are offered.

To help give you an idea of what it’s like to live in Brownsville as military personnel and what rates you can get, we are going to go through everything from veterans to USAA availability.

https://youtu.be/D7H4eMHiaS8

Let’s get started.

– Veterans by Service Period

Every city is different in what types of veterans reside there, from WWII to Vietnam. Let’s see which veterans live in Brownsville.

Brownsville Veterans by Service Period

Vietnam is the most common service period in Brownsville, with 1,251 Vietnam veterans. There is also a small number of Korea (272) and WWII (187) veterans.

– Military Bases Within an Hour

There are no military bases within an hour of Brownsville. The closest military base (about 3 hours away) is Naval Air Station Corpus Christi Base.

– Military Discounts by Providers

While there aren’t any military bases near Brownsville, there are still plenty of military discounts offered by providers in Texas. Below is a complete list of popular Texas providers offering military discounts.

Company Percentage Saved With Discount
FarmersN/A
Geico15%
Liberty Mutual (must be active duty)4%
MetLife15%
SafecoN/A
USAAN/A

*USAA offers a military garaging discount in addition to a military discount.

Never be afraid to ask if a company offers military discounts, as some local providers that aren’t on our list may offer one.

– USAA Availability

USAA is a popular choice for military personnel and their families. The rate comparisons below show why USAA is a top military provider.

CompanyAverageCompared to State Average ($)Compared to State Average (%)
Allstate F&C$5,485.32$1,556.9828.38%
Geico County Mutual Ins Co.$3,263.39-$664.95-20.38%
Nationwide CCMIC$3,867.57-$60.77-1.57%
Progressive Cty Mtl$4,664.85$736.5115.79%
State Farm Mutual Auto$2,879.95-$1,048.39-36.40%
The Gen Automobile Ins Co Inc$4,849.18$920.8418.99%
USAA$2,488.12-$1,440.22-57.88%

USAA is considerably cheaper than other companies, which makes USAA worth looking into.

Unique City Laws

City laws can be confusing, as cities are allowed to pass stricter laws than states. So even if you already live in Texas, there may be different driving laws in Brownsville than you are used to.

Since breaking driving laws results in traffic tickets, we are going to go through all the unique city laws you need to know.

Keep reading to learn about everything from hands-free laws to parking laws in Brownsville.

– Hands-Free Laws

Texas drivers are prohibited from texting and are only allowed to use hand-held devices in certain areas.

Enforcement of this law is primary, meaning law enforcement can pull you over for texting or using a hand-held device in prohibited areas.

Hand-Held BanYoung Drivers All Cellphone Ban Texting Ban Enforcement
Drivers in school crossing zones/on public school property (during the time the reduced speed limit applies)Drivers younger than 18All driversPrimary

If drivers violate this law in Brownsville, they could receive a fine of up to $250. Since distracted driving often leads to fatal accidents, these strict fines are meant to discourage drivers from illegally being on their cellphones.

– Food Trucks

If you are planning on operating a food truck in Brownsville, the last thing you want is to be shut down because you failed to follow proper protocol.

Below is a list of requirements to license a food truck in Brownsville.

  • Application
  • Fire Inspection
  • Grease Contract
  • Insurance
  • Menu
  • Rules/Regulations
  • Texas License Plates of Mobile Unit
  • Valid Texas Drivers License

The city will inspect your mobile food unit twice a year to ensure you’re following proper health and safety rules. If you don’t follow the rules, you can expect your mobile food unit to be shut down.

You must also make sure you are parking in the designated areas allowed by the city of Brownsville.

– Tiny Home

Tiny homes are a growing trend among those who want to cut back on both clutter and living expenses.

If you own a tiny home, though, you can’t just plop it down anywhere. Generally, tiny homes are classified as mobile homes, which means you have to follow zoning ordinances.

If you don’t park it in a mobile home park, you’ll have to make sure you apply to park it on private land.

Your tiny home will also need to be hooked to important resources like sewer and water. If you follow Brownsville’s laws, you can safely park your tiny home and take up residence.

– Parking Laws

Even though city parking can be a hassle, no one is allowed to park illegally. While it can be tempting to pull into a spot on the other side of the street without turning around to get there before someone else grabs it, wrong-direction parking puts both you and other drivers at risk.

Because of its riskiness (you’re pulling into oncoming traffic), wrong-way parking is illegal. So if you park the wrong way in Brownsville, you’ll probably end up earning a ticket from a passing officer.

If there aren’t any street parking spots available, you can try reserving a spot at a parking garage to make sure there will be a parking spot for you.

Brownsville Car Insurance FAQs

Even though we are nearing the end of our guide to Brownsville, you may still have questions. Car insurance and new cities are confusing, which is why we are going to go through frequently asked questions about Brownsville.

Let’s jump right in.

– How Safe is Brownsville, Texas?

This is a major question people ask themselves when finding a new place to live in. Unfortunately, Brownsville only has a crime index rating of 14.

Since Brownsville is only safer than 14 percent of U.S. cities, it’s likely you will see more crime than usual if you live in Brownsville.

– What’s in Brownsville, Texas?

Nobody wants to constantly be bored in their chosen residence. If you like beaches, zoos, and museums, though, you should find plenty to occupy your time.

Brownsville also has a thriving Mexican culture, which means you’ll be introduced to culturally rich festivals and food.

– What Happens if I Get in an Accident in Brownsville, Texas?

Texas is an at-fault state, which means you will be held liable for accident costs if you caused the accident. So if you live in Brownsville, Texas, it’s important to have good coverage on your car.

This way, if you cause an accident you won’t have to pay out of pocket for injury and property damages.

– Is Brownsville, Texas, Affordable?

Brownsville is cheaper to live in than other cities in Texas. Since property values are cheaper than Texas’s average, homes are more affordable.

The average household’s wage is lower than the Texas average, though, and a large number of residents live below the poverty line.

– Is Brownsville, Texas, Tropical?

Brownsville’s climate is actually subtropical, which means you should prepare for a lot of hot, humid days. Winters are incredibly mild, while summers are long and hot. So if you move to Brownsville, make sure to pack plenty of sunscreen.

Are there any questions we haven’t answered? Hopefully, our guide prepared you to live and drive in Brownsville.

If you want to start comparison shopping today, you can enter your zip code in our FREE online tool below.

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