Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garland, TX
VS
Laredo, TX
🏆 Laredo leads 12 of 23 categories
Garland
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,044 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
61 ✓ Safer
Population
244,026
Laredo
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,928
Violent Crime Index
96
Population
255,293 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garland, TX
Pros
36% less violent crime than Laredo
Violent crime is well below the national average (232.7 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $10,116 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.2%)
More college-educated — 24.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 94°F vs 100°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,421/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Laredo
Longer commutes — 29.7 min average each way
Laredo, TX
Pros
Rent averages $453/mo less ($968 vs $1,421)
Homes cost $65k less ($164,400 vs $229,000)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Garland
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 56°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.8)
Cons
Median income trails Garland by $10,116/yr
Higher unemployment (5.9% vs 5.2%)
Hot summers — July highs average 100°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Garland
Median Income
$10,116
$71,044 vs $60,928/yr
Garland
Violent Crime
36% lower
232.7 vs 365.8 per 100k
Garland
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.2% vs 5.9% unemployment
Laredo
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 87.8 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Laredo
Median Home Value
$65k less
$164,400 vs $229,000
Laredo
Summer Heat
6.0°F warmer
July avg high 100.3°F vs 94.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garland, TX | Laredo, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 87.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $229,000 | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,421⚠ High | $968 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,044 ✓ Higher | $60,928 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 21.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.4% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 ✓ Safer | 86 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 96 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) ✓ Better | C (82) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.1% ✓ Higher | 21.1% |
| High School or Higher | 78.6% ✓ Higher | 69.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | GARLAND ISD | UNITED ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 68.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F | 100.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" | 19.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 244,026 | 255,293 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.4 ✓ Older | 29.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.0% | 62.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.8% | 31.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.4% ✓ More | 9.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garland's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Laredo's 87.8 (US average = 100).
Laredo is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Laredo leads 12 of 23 categories. Garland wins 11 and Laredo wins 12. 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 Garland to Laredo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($229,000 vs $164,400 median home), income ($71,044 vs $60,928), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garland, TX and Laredo, TX are about 407 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.