Is Fort Worth cheaper than Laredo?

No. Laredo is cheaper: typical rent is $1,161 a month versus $1,723 in Fort Worth — 33% lower. Median household income is $72,726 in Fort Worth compared with $60,928 in Laredo, so Fort Worth has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Fort Worth or Laredo?

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

Which city has better schools, Fort Worth or Laredo?

School composites are close: A- in Fort Worth and A- in Laredo. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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City comparison

Fort Worth, TX vs Laredo, TX

Fort Worth, 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 $1,723 a month in Fort Worth and $1,161 in Laredo, and median household income lands at $72,726 versus $60,928. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Fort Worth takes job market, while Laredo takes affordability. The widest gap is rent, where Laredo leads by 33% — 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 Fort Worth can feel further apart than Fort Worth and Laredo do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Fort Worth and Laredo reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Fort Worth report Full Laredo report

Fort Worth, TX

Rent: $1,723/mo
Median income: $72,726
Crime index: 109
Schools: A-
Weather: 92°F

Laredo, TX

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

Rent

33% cheaper

Laredo rent is 33% cheaper than Fort Worth

Fort Worth

$1,723/mo

Laredo

Winner

$1,161/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,161 a month in Laredo versus $1,723 in Fort Worth, so Laredo is 33% cheaper. That's roughly $562/month back in your pocket — $6,744/year. Over five years that's $33,720 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 Fort Worth, 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

19% higher

Fort Worth's median income is 19% higher than Laredo

Fort Worth

Winner

$72,726

Laredo

$60,928

What this means for your life

Median household income is $72,726 in Fort Worth versus $60,928 in Laredo, so typical pay runs 19% higher in Fort Worth — about $11,798 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, Fort Worth 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

Fort Worth and Laredo are about even on crime index.

Fort Worth

109 (100 = avg)

Laredo

109 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Fort Worth 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

Fort Worth and Laredo are about even on school scores.

Fort Worth

A- · 84/100

Laredo

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Fort Worth, 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

Fort Worth and Laredo are about even on typical weather.

Fort Worth

92°F typical

Laredo

92°F typical

What this means for your life

Outdoor comfort is close between Fort Worth and Laredo. Typical temperatures sit around 92°F in Fort Worth 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

Who should choose Fort Worth

Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth

Fort Worth is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 19% higher here ($72,726). Start with Fort Worth if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.

Open the Fort Worth report →

Fit check

Who should choose Laredo

Most movers who want a balanced city without a clear dealbreaker category

Laredo is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 33% 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

Fort Worth vs Laredo, called

If cost of living is your priority, Laredo is the clear choice.

If the job market matters more to you, Fort Worth pulls ahead.

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

Common questions

Fort Worth vs Laredo FAQ

Is Fort Worth cheaper than Laredo?: No. Laredo is cheaper: typical rent is $1,161 a month versus $1,723 in Fort Worth — 33% lower. Median household income is $72,726 in Fort Worth compared with $60,928 in Laredo, so Fort Worth has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Fort Worth or Laredo?: Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 109 in Fort Worth and 109 in Laredo (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.
Which city has better schools, Fort Worth or Laredo?: School composites are close: A- in Fort Worth and A- in Laredo. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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