It is frequently cited as having one of the highest poverty rates in the United States.ĭue to significant historical events, the city has multiple houses and battle sites listed under the National Register of Historic Places. The city experienced a population increase in the early 1900s, when steel production flourished. It operates international trading through the Port of Brownsville. Other primary employers fall within the service, trade, and manufacturing industries, including a growing aerospace and space transportation sector. As a county seat, the city and county governments are major employers. Army soldier during the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). It was named for Fort Brown, itself named after Major Jacob Brown, who fought and died while serving as a U.S. The city was founded in 1848 by American entrepreneur Charles Stillman after he developed a successful river-boat company nearby. The city is known for its year-round subtropical climate, deep-water seaport, and Hispanic culture. It is part of the Matamoros–Brownsville metropolitan area. It is the 139th-largest city in the United States and 18th-largest in Texas. It is on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the border with Matamoros, Mexico. īrownsville ( / ˈ b r aʊ n z ˌ v ɪ l/) is a city in Cameron County in the U.S. ^ Urban population/density as of the 2010 Census. ^ 1 2 Area, city density, metro population/density and CSA population/density as of the 2017 estimate. Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport KBRO (BRO)