How the city has changed over 35 years: how many people live here, how many police officers there are, how much crime gets reported, and how much money comes in. Every figure comes from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, or the Texas Comptroller — and links to its source. Summaries are AI-generated from those verified figures: check them against the sources.
The census recorded 115,842 people living in Brownsville on July 1 1990. By July 1 2025 the population was 192,957, the highest year in the series. The data notes a change of +77,115 people, which is a +67% increase from 1990 to 2025. The counts from 2014 through 2019 were 181,275; 181,129; 181,894; 181,864; 181,844; and 182,342. The population then rose to 186,582 in 2020 and continued upward to 192,957 in 2025.
1990In 1990 the census counted 115,842 residents, the lowest year in the series.
2000In 2000 the population was 144,896.
2020In 2020 the city had 186,582 people.
2025In 2025 the count reached 192,957, the highest year recorded.
figures verified against the data · AI-generated from the figures below — verify against the sources.
115,842
people in 1990
192,957
people in 2025
+67% since 1990
People living in Brownsville, year by year
U.S. Census Bureau estimates as of July 1 each year. Hover a point to see the figure.
Figures Brownsville's own police department reports to the FBI. A year the department didn't fully report stays blank — never guessed. The per-1,000-residents rates are computed by us: FBI crime counts divided by Census population.
AI summary
Violent crimes reported to Brownsville police were 773 in 1990 and 782 in 2025, a change of +9 (+1%). The highest violent crime count was 1,271 in 1997 and the lowest was 448 in 2016. Property crimes fell from 8,401 in 1990 to 2,954 in 2025, a drop of 5,447 cases (‑65%). The peak property crime year was 2002 with 11,979 reports, and the low point was 2025 with 2,954. Per‑1,000‑resident rates dropped from 72.5 to 15.3 for property crimes and from 6.7 to 4.1 for violent crimes. Sworn officer numbers grew from 143 in 1990 to 208 in 2025, a rise of 65 officers (+45%), with the highest count of 245 in 2014.
19931993 marked the first year violent crimes reached 1,000, with 1,097 incidents reported.
19971997 recorded the highest number of violent crimes at 1,271.
20162016 recorded the lowest number of violent crimes at 448.
20022002 recorded the highest number of property crimes at 11,979.
20252025 recorded the lowest number of property crimes at 2,954.
figures verified against the data · AI-generated from the figures below — verify against the sources.
Sworn police officers
Reported by the department to the FBI (count as of Oct 31). Gaps in the line are years the department didn't report.
· FBI Crime Data Explorer
Violent crimes per 1,000 residents
Computed by us: crimes reported to the FBI ÷ Census population × 1,000. The original counts are in the table below.
Property crimes per 1,000 residents
Burglary, vehicle theft, larceny. Same computation as above.
In 2013 the state’s sales‑tax allocation to Brownsville was $33,778,110. The amount grew each year, reaching $40,932,113 in 2020. In 2021 it rose to $49,250,232. The first year it topped $50 million was 2022 with $55,592,999. By 2025 the payment was $62,753,303, the highest recorded, an increase of $28,975,193 (86 %) since 2013.
20132013 recorded the lowest allocation at $33,778,110.
2021In 2021 the allocation jumped to $49,250,232.
20222022 was the first year the amount exceeded $50 million, reaching $55,592,999.
20252025 posted the highest allocation at $62,753,303.
figures verified against the data · AI-generated from the figures below — verify against the sources.
Sales tax paid to the city, by year
Monthly allocation payments from the Texas Comptroller to the City of Brownsville, summed per calendar year. The online public record starts in 2013.
Historical property tax rates and year-by-year city employee counts don't exist in any machine-readable public record reaching back to 1990. When the city or the state publishes them, they'll appear here. We don't show figures we can't link to a source — that's how we work.