Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Beaumont, TX
VS
Laredo, TX
🏆 Laredo leads 14 of 22 categories
Beaumont
Texas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2
Median Household Income
$53,745
Violent Crime Index
299⚠ High
Population
114,573
Laredo
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,928 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
96 ✓ Safer
Population
255,293 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Beaumont, TX
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.3%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
More college-educated — 25.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 92°F vs 100°F
Cons
Violent crime (1137.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3302.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Laredo by $7,183/yr
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Laredo
Laredo, TX
Pros
68% less violent crime than Beaumont
Households earn $7,183 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.8)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 63°F
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Beaumont
Cons
Hot summers — July highs average 100°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Beaumont
Median Home Value
$14k less
$150,400 vs $164,400
Beaumont
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.3% vs 5.9% unemployment
Laredo
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 87.8 vs 90.2 (100 = US avg)
Laredo
Median Income
$7,183
$60,928 vs $53,745/yr
Laredo
Violent Crime
68% lower
365.8 vs 1137.3 per 100k
Laredo
Summer Heat
8.3°F warmer
July avg high 100.3°F vs 92.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Beaumont, TX | Laredo, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.2 | 87.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $150,400 ✓ Lower | $164,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $992 | $968 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $53,745 | $60,928 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.7 min ✓ Shorter | 21.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 3.6% | 4.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 242⚠ High | 86 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 299⚠ High | 96 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 157⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (85) ✓ Better | C (82) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.9:1 | 15.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 25.8% ✓ Higher | 21.1% |
| High School or Higher | 86.2% ✓ Higher | 69.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BEAUMONT ISD | UNITED ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.6°F | 68.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.0°F | 100.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 65.1" | 19.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" | 0.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,573 | 255,293 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.5 ✓ Older | 29.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.4% | 62.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.7% | 31.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.9% ✓ More | 9.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Beaumont's cost of living index is 90.2 vs Laredo's 87.8 (US average = 100).
Laredo is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Laredo leads 14 of 22 categories. Beaumont wins 8 and Laredo wins 14. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Beaumont to Laredo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($150,400 vs $164,400 median home), income ($53,745 vs $60,928), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Beaumont, TX and Laredo, TX are about 367 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.