Brownsville, Texas · ZIP 78521

Brownsville — ZIP 78521

Brownsville (78521) scores 65/100 — Fair for Brownsville. Safety: Mid-range reported-crime index under the available data tier. Schools: Mid-range proficiency and grade-band coverage. A mid-range price profile for the state. The typical home value here is $172K.

Overall NeighborScore

C+Fair

Tap a tab to compare 78521 against its city, state, or the nation.

Mid-range reported-crime index under the available data tier.

Safety index65/100

Violent crime share21%

Property crime share79%

Mid-range proficiency and grade-band coverage.

School index65/100

Avg math proficiency43%

Avg reading proficiency51%

Schools nearby36

A mid-range price profile for the state.

Affordability index63/100

Typical home value$172K

Median rent$1,355/mo

How this score is calculated: the NeighborScore composite weights crime 53% and schools 47%, each normalized to the local area. Home affordability is shown for context and is not factored into the overall score. Sources & methodology →

Last refreshed — Schools: Aug 2026 · Real estate: Aug 2026 · Demographics: Jun 2026

Nearby Neighborhoods

Not the right fit? See how adjacent ZIPs score — tap to jump over.

Brownsville, TexasBrownsvilleZIP 78526

68▲3 vs here

Brownsville, TexasBrownsvilleZIP 78520

66▲1 vs here

Rancho Viejo, TexasRancho ViejoZIP 78575

76▲11 vs here

Port Isabel, TexasPort IsabelZIP 78578

40▼25 vs here

More ZIPs in Brownsville

Brownsville, TexasBrownsvilleZIP 78520

66▲1 vs here

Brownsville, TexasBrownsvilleZIP 78526

68▲3 vs here

Real Estate Snapshot

Typical Home Value

$172K

Median Rent

$1,355/mo

Days on Market

—

Sale-to-List

—

Typical Home Value — 23 Months

Median Rent — 19 Months

Crime Overview

Total Incidents

8,287

Violent Crime

1,432

Property Crime

6,855

Crime statistics for this area are estimated from FBI-reported county-level data for Cameron County, Texas (2025). This ZIP does not yet have city-specific monthly crime data, so figures reflect the entire county rather than this ZIP alone.

Full Crime Report →

Nearby Schools

	Grades
ORTIZ EL	PK–05	564	87%	82%
PAREDES EL	PK–05	798	61%	68%
IDEA FRONTIER ACADEMY	KG–05	675	56%	61%
HUDSON EL	PK–05	751	54%	60%
IDEA ROBINDALE COLLEGE PREPARATORY	06–11	693	52%	57%
GARZA AT SOUTHMOST EL	PK–05	524	52%	72%
GALLEGOS EL	PK–05	390	52%	57%
IDEA FRONTIER COLLEGE PREPARATORY	06–12	781	51%	62%
BURNS EL	PK–05	651	51%	44%
GONZALEZ EL	PK–05	596	51%	53%
BREEDEN EL	PK–05	511	49%	60%
PORTER EARLY COLLEGE H S	09–12	1,543	48%	31%
BRITE EL	PK–05	584	47%	53%
EGLY EL	PK–05	520	47%	53%
HANNA EARLY COLLEGE H S	09–12	2,039	46%	49%
CHAMPION EL	PK–05	710	45%	44%
CROMACK - CASTANEDA EL	PK–05	823	44%	56%
AIKEN EL	PK–05	630	43%	44%
EL JARDIN EL	PK–05	389	42%	47%
STILLMAN MIDDLE	06–08	964	40%	58%
VERMILLION ROAD EL	PK–05	654	40%	43%
LOPEZ EARLY COLLEGE H S	09–12	1,739	39%	38%
MANZANO MIDDLE	06–08	837	39%	55%
RIVERA EARLY COLLEGE H S	09–12	2,150	38%	40%
IDEA ROBINDALE ACADEMY	KG–05	699	38%	46%
LUCIO MIDDLE	06–08	627	37%	46%
PALM GROVE EL	PK–05	294	37%	47%
VELA MIDDLE	06–08	658	34%	53%
GARCIA MIDDLE	06–08	870	33%	45%
PEREZ EL	PK–05	615	30%	42%
PERKINS MIDDLE	06–08	480	29%	41%
OLIVEIRA MIDDLE	06–08	699	28%	50%
CANALES EL	PK–05	630	28%	36%
BESTEIRO MIDDLE	06–08	558	28%	39%
DEL CASTILLO - MORNINGSIDE EL	PK–05	526	27%	47%
FAULK MIDDLE	06–08	885	26%	44%

Directory and latest enrollment: NCES Common Core of Data (SY 2024–25 where reported). Proficiency: U.S. Department of Education EDFacts SY 2021–22; state standards are not directly comparable.

Full School Report →

Demographics

Population

87,860

Median Income

$45K

Homeownership

60%

Median Age

31.3 yrs

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2024).

Map

Guides Featuring ZIP 78521

Market TrendsAugust 10, 2026By Sharon Ben-Moshe

Rent vs. Buy: Price-to-Rent Ratios for 8 U.S. ZIP Codes (2026)

El Paso's price-to-rent ratio of 12.6 sits at one extreme; Corona, Queens's 25.8 sits at the other. See real Zillow price and rent data for 8 U.S. ZIP codes, and what the ratio means for the rent-vs-buy decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

ZIP 78521 has a reported-crime score of 65/100. A higher score represents a lower reported-crime rate under the best available data tier for this ZIP; it is not a guarantee of safety. Review the crime report and current local police data before making a decision.

ZIP 78521 has a school score of 65/100. The index combines reported SY 2021–22 math and reading proficiency with grade-band coverage. Nearby or county-level estimates may be used where ZIP-level reporting is sparse, and state assessment standards are not directly comparable.

The latest home value or sale-price figure available for ZIP 78521 is approximately $172K. The profile identifies the underlying source; Zillow ZHVI is a typical home value measure, while Redfin data is a median sale-price measure. These are different metrics and may lag current listings.

ZIP 78521 in Brownsville has an overall NeighborScore of 65/100. It combines the crime score (53%) and school score (47%); affordability is context only. Use the component data and its coverage notes rather than treating the composite as a complete measure of livability.