Laredo, TX, known as 'The Gateway City,' offers a unique blend of historic charm and modern urban amenities. Located in southern Texas, Laredo is a large city that serves as a major cultural and economic hub. Major nearby cities like San Antonio and Corpus Christi enhance its status as a central point in the region. Laredo's blend of historic landmarks, cultural festivals, and urban amenities creates a distinctive living experience.
Laredo is home to several iconic landmarks, including the Republic of the Rio Grande Museum, the historic San Agustin Cathedral, and the scenic Lake Casa Blanca International State Park. The city offers a variety of attractions, from the beautiful Laredo Center for the Arts to the bustling Mall del Norte, known for its shopping and dining. Laredo's dining scene is diverse, offering everything from Tex-Mex cuisine to international dishes.
Annual events such as the Washington's Birthday Celebration and the Jalapeño Festival highlight the city's vibrant cultural scene and provide unique entertainment opportunities for residents and visitors. These events celebrate Laredo's rich cultural heritage and community spirit. Prestigious institutions like Texas A&M International University contribute to the city's academic and cultural vibrancy, fostering a thriving intellectual community.
The arts and culture scene in Laredo is dynamic and diverse, with numerous theaters, music venues, and art galleries. The Laredo Little Theatre and the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra are just a few of the cultural landmarks that showcase the city's commitment to the arts. Living in Laredo provides ample opportunities to engage with art, music, and history, making it an exciting place to call home.
Laredo’s community is welcoming and diverse, creating a friendly environment for newcomers. The city is home to professional sports teams like the Laredo Heat (NPSL), providing plenty of excitement for sports fans. Major industries in Laredo include trade, healthcare, and education, with significant employers such as Laredo Medical Center and Uni-Trade Group driving economic growth. The city has extensive public transit options, including buses and bike-sharing programs, making commuting convenient for residents.
Cost Of Living
Residents in this area benefit from an affordable cost of living. This includes goods and services, transportation, housing, utilities, groceries and healthcare.
Housing
The housing category in this area boasts higher than average scores, likely influenced by a positive home affordability ratio, robust appreciation rates or elevated home values.
Health & Safety
Earning a high health and safety score depends on factors such as good air quality and the availability of essential health facilities like hospitals, clinics, doctors, and fire stations.
Amenities
It appears that many amenities may not be conveniently situated within walking distance, potentially necessitating the use of a vehicle or public transit.
Commute
Commuters in this area may experience longer-than-average work commute times due to limited public transportation access.
Ratings
Polls and surveys done by AreaVibes among area residents did not yield positive feedback when it came to the walkability of amenities, safety, nearby parks and the overall sense of community.
Located in the state of Texas, Laredo is a highly populated city with a population of 260,571 residents. If we look at the most recent Census, Laredo is known to have a predominantly White population. The next two most common races are Asian and Black. Additionally, more than a quarter of the population of Laredo are of Hispanic or Latino origin, and 90% of the population also speak Spanish. With an average age of 29 years old, Laredo could be a great place to live for young adults as this age is well below the national average. Not a fan of sitting in traffic during your commute to work? Laredo offers shorter work commutes, with an average one-way commute time taking only 21 minutes, far lower than the national average of 26 minutes.
Without the right tools, moving to any new town can be very stressful and challenging. Living in Laredo, Texas could be a great experience for anyone who puts in the time to do the research required. When searching for a new neighborhood, several key items should be considered. Safety is paramount, ensuring a secure environment for you and your family. Proximity to workplaces or schools reduces commuting time and enhances convenience. Access to amenities like parks, grocery stores and healthcare facilities contributes to a comfortable lifestyle. Reliable public transportation options promote easy mobility. A strong sense of community fosters social connections and a welcoming atmosphere. To help you find the best places to live in and around Laredo, AreaVibes has created a livability score using key metrics like crime, cost of living, commute and more.
With a livability score of 73/100, Laredo is ranked #4,540 in the United States and #190 in Texas. If we explore each of the categories on their own, we see that Laredo ranks well for crime (B) and housing (A+). Unfortunately for Laredo, there are some categories for which it does not score well, this includes: amenities (F) and employment (D).
A robust real estate market serves as a crucial economic indicator, reflecting the local area's strength, stability and the confidence of its residents. Laredo excels in the housing sector, scoring high marks based on factors such as median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability. These calculations suggest that the apartment rental and real estate market in the region is exceptionally healthy, highlighting the area's economic vitality and attractiveness to potential homebuyers and renters.
Certain items on your wish list like shopping, restaurants, nightlife, parks and proximity to public transportation are all important things to look for. Having said that, perhaps the most important metric to consider when contemplating a move to Laredo is real estate affordability. The median home price for Laredo homes is $140,100, which is 1.8% lower than the Texas average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Laredo, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 2.7, which is 3.8% higher than the Texas average.
| Statistic | Laredo | Texas | National |
| Average one way commute | 21min | 26min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 80.7% | 80.3% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 11.2% | 10.6% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 1.0% | 1.5% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.1% | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 1.6% | 1.6% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 3.5% | 4.3% | 4.6% |
Here are the best places to live in Texas
Check out the 10 safest cities in Texas
Top 10 cities in Texas with the best education system
10 Best cities in Texas for employment