78043 and 78046 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
78043
78046
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 20%
vs40 · Bottom 21%
Growth
58 · Top 37%
vs58 · Top 37%
Climate
67 · Bottom 40%
vs67 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 35%
vs70 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 34%
vs88 · Top 37%
Schools
29 · Bottom 22%
vs28 · Bottom 20%
Access
90 · Bottom 41%
vs89 · Bottom 38%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 23%
vs40 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | 78043 | 78046 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,760 | 72,951 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,396 | $55,826 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $21,214 | $18,228 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 258/sq mi | 398/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $170,600 | $150,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,005 | $1,086 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.5% | 79.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.1% | 13.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.4% | 26.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,142 | 1,142 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.4 | 4.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -21.0% | -21.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 100°F | 100°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 21.3" | 21.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 29.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 28.8 | 26.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 18 | 21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.80 | 15.32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 23.6% | 24.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 32.0% | 31.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 91.0% | 89.7% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: 78043 — Laredo, TX · 78046 — Laredo, TX · How this is calculated: methodology