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
El Paso
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 37%
vs56 · Bottom 49%
Growth
58 · Top 36%
vs51 · Top 49%
Climate
67 · Bottom 38%
vs64 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 35%
vs66 · Top 41%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 10%
vs91 · Top 23%
Access
90 · Bottom 36%
vs93 · Bottom 45%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 21%
vs45 · Bottom 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Laredo | El Paso | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 257,619 | 680,130 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,915 | $59,745 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,161 | $29,956 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,361/sq mi | 2,628/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $193,500 | $184,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,030 | $1,073 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.1% | 60.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.0% | 28.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.9% | 18.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,142 | 1,624 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.4 | 2.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -21.0% | -11.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 100°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 21.3" | 8.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 2 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.0 min | 24.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.9 | 34.5 | 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
Laredo
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
El Paso
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Laredo, TX · El Paso, TX · How this is calculated: methodology