Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Laredo, TX
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 Laredo leads 13 of 23 categories
Laredo
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,928 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
96 ✓ Safer
Population
255,293
St. Louis
Missouri
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3
Median Household Income
$52,941
Violent Crime Index
360⚠ High
Population
298,018 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Laredo, TX
Pros
73% less violent crime than St. Louis
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 41°F
Households earn $7,987 more per year on average
9% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Louis
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.8)
Cons
Hot summers — July highs average 100°F
St. Louis, MO
Pros
More college-educated — 38.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.4%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 100°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1367.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Laredo by $7,987/yr
Property crime (5706.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Laredo
Key Differences at a Glance
Laredo
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 87.8 vs 96.3 (100 = US avg)
Laredo
Median Income
$7,987
$60,928 vs $52,941/yr
Laredo
Violent Crime
73% lower
365.8 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Laredo
Summer Heat
10.7°F warmer
July avg high 100.3°F vs 89.6°F
St. Louis
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.4% vs 5.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Laredo, TX | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 87.8 ✓ Cheaper | 96.3 |
| Median Home Value | $164,400 ✓ Lower | $174,100 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $968 | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,928 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.3 min ✓ Shorter | 23.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 86 ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.8:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 21.1% | 38.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 69.7% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | UNITED ISD | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.4°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 100.3°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.7" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 255,293 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 29.3 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.7% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 31.8% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 9.6% | 14.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Laredo's cost of living index is 87.8 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
Laredo is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Laredo leads 13 of 23 categories. Laredo wins 13 and St. Louis wins 10. 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 Laredo to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($164,400 vs $174,100 median home), income ($60,928 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Laredo, TX and St. Louis, MO are about 933 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.