Laredo Downtown · Not home at en.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0Laredo US Post Office, Court House and Custom House · JoshDavid Photos / CC BY-SA 4.0San Agustin Plaza in Laredo, Texas LCCN2014630559 · Carol M. Highsmith / Public domainLaredo, TX, Center for the Arts IMG 7674 · Billy Hathorn / CC BY-SA 3.0
Laredo is a large city of 255,293 in Texas, with a median household income of $60,928
and a 5.9% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is
12% below the national average.
Strengths:
Laredo stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Laredo is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Laredo city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 87.8
Laredo's overall cost of living index is 87.8,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Laredo costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.
Metric
Laredo, TX
National Avg
Median Home Value
$164,400
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$968
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
62.7%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$60,928
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Laredo's violent crime rate is 365.8 per 100,000 residents
— 4% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
365.8 /100k
Property Crime
1464.9 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Laredo is served primarily by UNITED ISD.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.8:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Laredo, TX
National Avg
School District
UNITED ISD
—
Elementary Schools
30
—
Middle Schools
13
—
High Schools
8
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.8:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
21.1%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
69.7%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Laredo sees average highs of 68.4°F in January
and 100.3°F in July,
with 19.7 inches of annual precipitation
and 0.1 inches of snow per year.
Laredo's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Laredo roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $164,400 and median rent is $968/month.
Laredo's violent crime rate is 365.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1464.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Laredo are operated by UNITED ISD.
The district has 30 elementary, 13 middle, and 8 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.8:1. 21.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Laredo, TX has a population of 255,293, a median household income of $60,928, and an unemployment rate of 5.9%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Laredo averages 68.4°F in January and 100.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 19.7 inches
with about 0.1 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Laredo, TX is covered by 5 ZIP codes: 78045, 78046, 78041, 78043, 78040.
The population of Laredo, Texas is 255,293 with a median age of 29.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Laredo: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $164,400, median household income $60,928, crime index 86 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Laredo side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
