Brownsville, OR vs Rock Island, WA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Rock Island, WA has a modeled overall cost index 0.5% higher than Brownsville, OR.

Brownsville, OR · modeled 2BR rent: $1,570 / month
Rock Island, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,410 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Brownsville, OR and Rock Island, WA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Brownsville, OR

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $46.06/month in Rock Island, WA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,553 in Rock Island, WA

Regional cost estimates: Brownsville, OR uses Portland, OR. Rock Island, WA uses Seattle, WA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 0.5%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$46.06

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$553

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Brownsville, OR

Population:2K

Cost Index:

95.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$435K

Rock Island, WA

Population:2K

Cost Index:

96.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$427K

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Brownsville, OR

The Beaver State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Oregon, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Rock Island, WA

The Evergreen State

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 2K residents.

💡 Advantage: Washington has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Brownsville, OR vs Rock Island, WA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Brownsville, OR	Rock Island, WA	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,037/mo	$3,696/mo	↑ $659more	21.7%
Other	$1,381/mo	$1,076/mo	↓ $305less	22.1%
Transportation	$1,235/mo	$1,035/mo	↓ $200less	16.2%
Groceries	$895/mo	$787/mo	↓ $108less	12.0%
All Utilities	$398/mo	$351/mo	↓ $47.11less	11.8%
Healthcare	$555/mo	$601/mo	↑ $46.24more	8.3%

Housing

↑ 21.7%

Brownsville, OR

$3,037

Rock Island, WA

$3,696

Difference

$659

Other

↓ 22.1%

Brownsville, OR

$1,381

Rock Island, WA

$1,076

Difference

$305

less

Transportation

↓ 16.2%

Brownsville, OR

$1,235

Rock Island, WA

$1,035

Difference

$200

less

Groceries

↓ 12.0%

Brownsville, OR

$895

Rock Island, WA

$787

Difference

$108

less

All Utilities

↓ 11.8%

Brownsville, OR

$398

Rock Island, WA

$351

Difference

$47.11

less

Healthcare

↑ 8.3%

Brownsville, OR

$555

Rock Island, WA

$601

Difference

$46.24

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,080

To$970

↓ $110

1 Bed

From$1,290

To$1,070

↓ $220

2 Bed

From$1,570

To$1,410

↓ $160

3 Bed

From$2,130

To$1,940

↓ $190

Brownsville, ORZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,290–$1,290/mo

Rock Island, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,070–$1,070/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Brownsville, OR

$7,546

Monthly in Rock Island, WA

$46.06

Difference

Home Values

Brownsville

Rock Island

$435K

Median Value

$427K

↑ +1.1%

YoY Change

↑ +2.5%

↑ +31.3%

5-Year Change

↑ +38.2%

Homes in Rock Island are 2% less expensive than Brownsville

Calculate payment - Brownsville Calculate payment - Rock Island

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $15.5K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$1,293

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

10.3%

Rate difference

Brownsville, OR

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Oregon State Tax

Effective: 10.3%

$15.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 35.0%

$52.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,123/month

$97.5K

Rock Island, WA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Washington State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Brownsville, OR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

Rock Island, WA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.2%

Property Tax:0.9%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Brownsville

Rock Island

35 Good

Air Quality

41 Good

85%

Good Air Days

69.7%

98 High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

9 days

Heat Days >95°F

2 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

9 days

Heat Days >95°F

2 days

Before moving from Brownsville, OR to Rock Island, WA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Rock Island, WA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Brownsville, OR. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Brownsville to Rock Island moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Rock Island, WA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Brownsville, OR vs Rock Island, WA

How do the cost estimates for Brownsville, OR and Rock Island, WA compare?

Rock Island, WA has a modeled overall cost index 0.5% higher than Brownsville, OR. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Brownsville, OR, the model estimates $150,553 in Rock Island, WA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Brownsville, OR and Rock Island, WA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,570/month in Brownsville, OR and $1,410/month in Rock Island, WA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Oregon and Washington on TaxTakeHome.com