City comparison
No. Laredo's crime index is 90 versus 350 in New Orleans, and its violent crime index is 99 versus 393, using 2023 FBI data for New Orleans and 2024-2025 FBI data for Laredo.
Laredo is cheaper. Median rent is $1,030 a month versus $1,251 in New Orleans.
Safety is where New Orleans and Laredo split most clearly. Laredo scores 260 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,251 in New Orleans 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. New Orleans 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 rent gap is real but neighborhoods matter. Laredo at $1,030 average has pockets that run $830 and others at $1,430: your actual number depends on which part of the city you land in.
The move
New Orleans and Laredo are 596 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,251 a month in New Orleans to $1,030 a month in Laredo, down $221 a month (18%).
Median household income goes from $56,631 in New Orleans to $63,915 in Laredo, up $7,284 (13%).
The crime index goes from 350 in New Orleans to 90 in Laredo, down 260 points (74%).
The move
Laredo and New Orleans are 596 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,030 a month in Laredo to $1,251 a month in New Orleans, up $221 a month (21%).
Median household income goes from $63,915 in Laredo to $56,631 in New Orleans, down $7,284 (11%).
The crime index goes from 90 in Laredo to 350 in New Orleans, up 260 points (289%).
New Orleans, LA
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 New Orleans and Laredo? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
18% cheaper
Laredo rent is 18% cheaper than New Orleans
New Orleans
$1,251/mo
Laredo
Winner$1,030/mo
Typical rent runs $1,030 a month in Laredo versus $1,251 in New Orleans, so Laredo is 18% 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 $2,652, 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 New Orleans.
Planning to buy in Laredo? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
13% higher
Laredo's median income is 13% higher than New Orleans
New Orleans
$56,631
Laredo
Winner$63,915
Median household income is $63,915 in Laredo versus $56,631 in New Orleans, so typical pay runs 13% higher in Laredo (about $7,284 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. New Orleans can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
74% lower crime
Laredo's crime index is 74% lower than New Orleans
New Orleans
350 (100 = avg)
Laredo
Winner90 (100 = avg)
Laredo's crime index is 90 versus 350 in New Orleans (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 74% 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. New Orleans can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
New Orleans and Laredo are about even on typical weather.
New Orleans
73°F avg · 81°F highs · comfort 100/100
Laredo
73°F avg · 81°F highs · comfort 100/100
New Orleans averages about 73°F (81°F highs); Laredo averages about 73°F (81°F highs). New Orleans sits near 73°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 New Orleans
On these five categories Laredo takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose New Orleans because the stats are kinder. They are not. Choose New Orleans 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 18% 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 13% 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 74% lower than New Orleans (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
Crime and safety tilt toward Laredo: Laredo scores 63/100 versus 22/100 in New Orleans, with typical rent at $1,030 versus $1,251. I would vet the exact ZIP in New Orleans before trading 41 safety points for housing savings.
Safety still diverges (63/100 in Laredo vs 22/100 in New Orleans), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Median income is $63,915 in Laredo versus $56,631 in New Orleans.
Pick Laredo when you want the stronger safety signal (63/100). Otherwise, New Orleans's case rests on a New Orleans ZIP you trust at $1,251 rent.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
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