Head to head
Brownsville, TX vs Laredo, TX
Brownsville is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $115/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $2,000 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Laredo is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | Brownsville65 | Laredo73 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $3,502 | $3,617 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $8,023 | $7,846 |
| Salary for comfort | $60,000/yr | $62,000/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,047 | $1,161 |
| Median home value | $122,400 | $182,400 |
| Median household income | $48,675 | $63,264 |
| Unemployment | 7.7% | 5.1% |
| Housing score | 82 | 91 |
| Jobs score | 22 | 37 |
| Safety score | 61 | 86 |
| Climate score | 96 | 88 |
| Amenities score | 21 | 21 |
| Population | 188K | 255.9K |
| Summer high / winter low | 94° / 52° | 98° / 44° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Brownsville, TX
Laredo, TX