City comparison
El Paso, 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 $1,191 a month in El Paso and $1,161 in Laredo, and median household income lands at $55,710 versus $60,928. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Laredo takes affordability and job market. The widest gap is median income, where Laredo leads by 9% — 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 El Paso can feel further apart than El Paso and Laredo do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the El Paso and Laredo reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
El Paso, TX
Laredo, TX
Rent
3% cheaper
Laredo rent is 3% cheaper than El Paso
El Paso
$1,191/mo
Laredo
Winner$1,161/mo
Typical rent runs $1,161 a month in Laredo versus $1,191 in El Paso, so Laredo is 3% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $30, or $360 a year — noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Median income
9% higher
Laredo's median income is 9% higher than El Paso
El Paso
$55,710
Laredo
Winner$60,928
Median household income is $60,928 in Laredo versus $55,710 in El Paso, so typical pay runs 9% higher in Laredo — about $5,218 more household income a year. The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.
Crime index
Neck and neck
El Paso and Laredo are about even on crime index.
El Paso
109 (100 = avg)
Laredo
109 (100 = avg)
El Paso 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
Neck and neck
El Paso and Laredo are about even on school scores.
El Paso
A- · 84/100
Laredo
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in El Paso, A- in Laredo). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
El Paso and Laredo are about even on typical weather.
El Paso
92°F typical
Laredo
92°F typical
Outdoor comfort is close between El Paso and Laredo. Typical temperatures sit around 92°F in El Paso and 92°F in Laredo. You are choosing a flavor of season, not paradise versus misery. Visit in the season you currently like least. A long weekend in October lies; a week in July or January does not.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to El Paso
On these five categories Laredo takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose El Paso because the stats are kinder — they are not. Choose El Paso only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Laredo is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 3% 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.
Laredo is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 9% higher here ($60,928). Start with Laredo if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Bottom line
If the job market is your priority, Laredo is the clear choice.
If cost of living matters more to you, Laredo pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Laredo offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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