78046 and 78043 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
78046
78043
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 21%
vs40 · Bottom 20%
Growth
58 · Top 37%
vs58 · Top 37%
Climate
67 · Bottom 40%
vs67 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 35%
vs70 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs89 · Top 34%
Schools
28 · Bottom 20%
vs29 · Bottom 22%
Access
89 · Bottom 38%
vs90 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 19%
vs43 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | 78046 | 78043 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 72,951 | 45,760 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,826 | $54,396 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $18,228 | $21,214 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 398/sq mi | 258/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $150,600 | $170,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,086 | $1,005 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.4% | 56.5% | 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 | 13.2% | 13.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 26.4% | 25.4% | 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 | 12 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.4 min | 23.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 26.0 | 28.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 21 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.32 | 14.80 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 24.6% | 23.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 31.8% | 32.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 89.7% | 91.0% | 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: 78046 — Laredo, TX · 78043 — Laredo, TX · How this is calculated: methodology