City comparison
No. Laredo's crime index is 90 versus 495 in Memphis, and its violent crime index is 99 versus 629, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Laredo is cheaper. Median rent is $1,030 a month versus $1,181 in Memphis.
Safety is where Memphis and Laredo split most clearly. Laredo scores 405 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,181 in Memphis and $1,030 in Laredo.
Laredo is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, the job market, and safety by margins that add up in daily life. Memphis makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Laredo is the stronger move.
The crime gap is citywide. Laredo has rougher pockets and Memphis has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Memphis and Laredo are 768 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,181 a month in Memphis to $1,030 a month in Laredo, down $151 a month (13%).
Median household income goes from $51,736 in Memphis to $63,915 in Laredo, up $12,179 (24%).
The crime index goes from 495 in Memphis to 90 in Laredo, down 405 points (82%).
The move
Laredo and Memphis are 768 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,030 a month in Laredo to $1,181 a month in Memphis, up $151 a month (15%).
Median household income goes from $63,915 in Laredo to $51,736 in Memphis, down $12,179 (19%).
The crime index goes from 90 in Laredo to 495 in Memphis, up 405 points (450%).
Memphis, TN
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Laredo, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Memphis and Laredo? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
13% cheaper
Laredo rent is 13% cheaper than Memphis
Memphis
$1,181/mo
Laredo
Winner$1,030/mo
Typical rent runs $1,030 a month in Laredo versus $1,181 in Memphis, so Laredo is 13% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $1,812, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Laredo still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Memphis.
Planning to buy in Laredo? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
24% higher
Laredo's median income is 24% higher than Memphis
Memphis
$51,736
Laredo
Winner$63,915
Median household income is $63,915 in Laredo versus $51,736 in Memphis, so typical pay runs 24% higher in Laredo (about $12,179 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Laredo is the stronger labor market on paper. Memphis can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
82% lower crime
Laredo's crime index is 82% lower than Memphis
Memphis
495 (100 = avg)
Laredo
Winner90 (100 = avg)
Laredo's crime index is 90 versus 495 in Memphis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 82% lower in Laredo. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Laredo is the easier city. Memphis can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Memphis and Laredo are about even on typical weather.
Memphis
68°F avg · 78°F highs · comfort 100/100
Laredo
73°F avg · 81°F highs · comfort 100/100
Memphis averages about 68°F (78°F highs); Laredo averages about 73°F (81°F highs). Memphis sits near 68°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Laredo sits near 73°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Memphis
On these five categories Laredo takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Memphis because the stats are kinder. They are not. Choose Memphis only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Laredo is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 13% cheaper here at about $1,030 a month. Choose Laredo if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Laredo is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 24% higher here ($63,915). Start with Laredo if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Laredo is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 82% lower than Memphis (90 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
Neither city is a free pass on neighborhood choice, but Laredo leads on safety (63/100 vs 11/100 in Memphis). Typical rent is $1,030 in Laredo and $1,181 in Memphis; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
With only $151 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Typical rent stays $1,030 in Laredo and $1,181 in Memphis.
Between Memphis and Laredo, Laredo is ahead on safety — 63/100 safety versus 11/100. Lean Memphis instead when you already know the Memphis block you would live on and the safety gap is acceptable.
Common questions
Ready to move to Laredo?
Next steps
Quotes and listings for Laredo when you're ready to act.
Keep researching
Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Memphis and Laredo, plus other cities in TN and TX.
