Is Austin cheaper than Laredo?

No. Laredo is cheaper: typical rent is $1,161 a month versus $1,852 in Austin — 37% lower. Median household income is $86,556 in Austin compared with $60,928 in Laredo, so Austin has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Austin or Laredo?

Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 109 in Austin and 109 in Laredo (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.

Which city has better schools, Austin or Laredo?

Austin has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Laredo — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

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City comparison

Austin, TX vs Laredo, TX

Austin, TX versus Laredo, TX is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,852 a month in Austin and $1,161 in Laredo, and median household income lands at $86,556 versus $60,928. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Austin takes job market, schools, and weather, while Laredo takes affordability. The widest gap is median income, where Austin leads by 42% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Austin can feel further apart than Austin and Laredo do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Austin and Laredo reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Austin report Full Laredo report

Austin, TX

Rent: $1,852/mo
Median income: $86,556
Crime index: 109
Schools: A
Weather: 91°F

Laredo, TX

Rent: $1,161/mo
Median income: $60,928
Crime index: 109
Schools: A-
Weather: 92°F

Rent

37% cheaper

Laredo rent is 37% cheaper than Austin

Austin

$1,852/mo

Laredo

Winner

$1,161/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,161 a month in Laredo versus $1,852 in Austin, so Laredo is 37% cheaper. That's roughly $691/month back in your pocket — $8,292/year. Over five years that's $41,460 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Austin, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Laredo is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.

Median income

42% higher

Austin's median income is 42% higher than Laredo

Austin

Winner

$86,556

Laredo

$60,928

What this means for your life

Median household income is $86,556 in Austin versus $60,928 in Laredo, so typical pay runs 42% higher in Austin — about $25,628 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Austin is the stronger labor market on paper. Laredo can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

Neck and neck

Austin and Laredo are about even on crime index.

Austin

109 (100 = avg)

Laredo

109 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Austin and Laredo post similar crime indexes (109 vs 109, where 100 is the national average). A small gap at the city level can still hide a huge neighborhood spread. Walk the specific block, check lighting and late-night activity, and use each city's full report for violent vs. property crime instead of stopping at the headline index.

School scores

5% higher scores

Austin's school scores are 5% higher than Laredo

Austin

Winner

A · 88/100

Laredo

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

Austin grades out at A (88/100) against A- (84/100) in Laredo — school scores run 5% higher in Austin. The citywide gap is modest. For families with kids it is still worth checking the specific campuses you would actually use, because a small composite lead can disappear — or reverse — two neighborhoods over. Laredo is only the better school story if a campus you already researched beats this composite.

Typical weather

7% more comfortable

Austin weather is 7% more comfortable than Laredo

Austin

Winner

91°F typical

Laredo

92°F typical

What this means for your life

Austin scores 7% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 91°F in Austin and 92°F in Laredo. Austin reads as hot, long summers; Laredo reads as hot, long summers. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Laredo's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Austin is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Fit check

Who should choose Austin

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 42% higher ($86,556), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 91°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Parents — or anyone planning kids in the next few years — should weight Austin first. School scores run 5% higher (A vs A-). Laredo only wins the school argument if you already have a specific campus in mind that beats this composite.

Open the Austin report →

Fit check

Who should choose Laredo

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Laredo

Laredo is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 37% cheaper here at about $1,161 a month. Choose Laredo if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Open the Laredo report →

Bottom line

Austin vs Laredo, called

If the job market is your priority, Austin is the clear choice.

If cost of living matters more to you, Laredo pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Austin offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Austin vs Laredo FAQ

Is Austin cheaper than Laredo?: No. Laredo is cheaper: typical rent is $1,161 a month versus $1,852 in Austin — 37% lower. Median household income is $86,556 in Austin compared with $60,928 in Laredo, so Austin has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Austin or Laredo?: Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 109 in Austin and 109 in Laredo (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.
Which city has better schools, Austin or Laredo?: Austin has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Laredo — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

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