What it's like to live in Laredo
Laredo is a large city in Texas with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Laredo deals with household incomes below the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, a poverty rate above the national average, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Air quality concerns
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Very hot summers
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Laredo compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Laredo
Based on Laredo's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,060
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $41,200 a year
- 50% of Laredo renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$38,700
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $19,350
- Homes cost 3.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 27% below US
$1,030/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,030 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $193,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $193,500 · 50% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.6%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
316 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1157/100k · Laredo Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 17% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21.6 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 6% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers run seriously hot, with average highs pushing 100°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 48°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 39% below US
22% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 22%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
83 public schools inside the boundary
There are 83 public schools inside the boundary and 9 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Bottom line
Laredo's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,030/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive and people who struggle with heat.
Other places near Laredo
All Texas guides →Not sure Laredo is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.