Laredo receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Manhattan
Laredo
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 26%
vs43 · Bottom 24%
Growth
50 · Top 49%
vs61 · Top 33%
Climate
61 · Bottom 31%
vs67 · Top 49%
Physical resilience
61 · Top 43%
vs70 · Top 29%
Housing affordability
92 · Bottom 43%
vs96 · Top 43%
Access
70 · Bottom 38%
vs86 · Top 32%
Economic stability
60 · Top 38%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Manhattan | Laredo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 133,965 | 269,294 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,469 | $63,058 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,818 | $24,920 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 73/sq mi | 80/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $223,700 | $189,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,063 | $1,027 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.0% | 64.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.4% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.5% | 21.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 438 | 1,142 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.3 | 4.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -0.5% | -21.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 100°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.2" | 21.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 53 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.9 min | 23.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 27.3 | 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
Manhattan
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave.
Laredo
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Manhattan, KS Metro Area · Laredo, TX Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology