Laredo receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
El Paso
Laredo
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs43 · Bottom 24%
Growth
54 · Top 44%
vs61 · Top 33%
Climate
68 · Top 47%
vs67 · Top 49%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 35%
vs70 · Top 29%
Housing affordability
91 · Bottom 41%
vs96 · Top 43%
Access
54 · Bottom 16%
vs86 · Top 32%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 49%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | El Paso | Laredo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 874,182 | 269,294 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,751 | $63,058 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,456 | $24,920 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 157/sq mi | 80/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $180,200 | $189,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,079 | $1,027 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.3% | 64.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.9% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.7% | 21.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,032 | 1,142 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 4.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -7.3% | -21.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 100°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.2" | 21.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 74 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 23.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.6 | 30.0 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Physical risk tradeoff
El Paso
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Laredo
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: El Paso, TX Metro Area · Laredo, TX Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology