Laredo receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Laredo
Jackson
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 24%
vs45 · Bottom 29%
Growth
61 · Top 33%
vs60 · Top 35%
Climate
67 · Top 49%
vs75 · Top 20%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 29%
vs58 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 43%
vs96 · Top 45%
Access
86 · Top 32%
vs64 · Bottom 28%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 45%
vs45 · Bottom 42%
Measured values
| Metric | Laredo | Jackson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 269,294 | 181,719 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,058 | $61,177 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $24,920 | $32,377 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 80/sq mi | 106/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $189,900 | $185,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,027 | $997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.7% | 65.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.4% | 23.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.3% | 16.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,142 | 476 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.2 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -21.0% | 13.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 100°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 21.3" | 53.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 61 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.0 | 38.8 | 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.
Full profiles: Laredo, TX Metro Area · Jackson, TN Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology