City comparison
No. Laredo's crime index is 90 versus 141 in Omaha, and its violent crime index is 99 versus 102, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Laredo is cheaper. Median rent is $1,030 a month versus $1,187 in Omaha.
Safety is where Omaha and Laredo split most clearly. Laredo scores 51 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,187 in Omaha and $1,030 in Laredo.
Laredo is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, safety, and weather by margins that add up in daily life. Omaha 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 Omaha has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Omaha and Laredo are 971 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,187 a month in Omaha to $1,030 a month in Laredo, down $157 a month (13%).
Median household income goes from $73,201 in Omaha to $63,915 in Laredo, down $9,286 (13%).
The crime index goes from 141 in Omaha to 90 in Laredo, down 51 points (36%).
The move
Laredo and Omaha are 971 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,030 a month in Laredo to $1,187 a month in Omaha, up $157 a month (15%).
Median household income goes from $63,915 in Laredo to $73,201 in Omaha, up $9,286 (15%).
The crime index goes from 90 in Laredo to 141 in Omaha, up 51 points (57%).
Omaha, NE
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 Omaha and Laredo? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
13% cheaper
Laredo rent is 13% cheaper than Omaha
Omaha
$1,187/mo
Laredo
Winner$1,030/mo
Typical rent runs $1,030 a month in Laredo versus $1,187 in Omaha, 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 $1,884, 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 Omaha.
Planning to buy in Laredo? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
15% higher
Omaha's median income is 15% higher than Laredo
Omaha
Winner$73,201
Laredo
$63,915
Median household income is $73,201 in Omaha versus $63,915 in Laredo, so typical pay runs 15% higher in Omaha (about $9,286 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, Omaha is the stronger labor market on paper. Laredo can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
36% lower crime
Laredo's crime index is 36% lower than Omaha
Omaha
141 (100 = avg)
Laredo
Winner90 (100 = avg)
Laredo's crime index is 90 versus 141 in Omaha (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 36% 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. Omaha can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
20% more comfortable
Laredo weather is 20% more comfortable than Omaha
Omaha
59°F avg · 68°F highs · comfort 83/100
Laredo
Winner73°F avg · 81°F highs · comfort 100/100
Omaha averages about 59°F (68°F highs); Laredo averages about 73°F (81°F highs). Omaha averages around 59°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Laredo sits near 73°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Laredo scores 20% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Omaha if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Omaha is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 15% higher here ($73,201). Start with Omaha if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
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.
Pick Laredo if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (73°F) beat Omaha on this page's weather index by 20%. Omaha may pay more or cost less, but Laredo is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Laredo is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 36% lower than Omaha (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 50/100 in Omaha). Typical rent is $1,030 in Laredo and $1,187 in Omaha; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
Safety still diverges (63/100 in Laredo vs 50/100 in Omaha), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Typical rent stays $1,030 in Laredo and $1,187 in Omaha.
Between Omaha and Laredo, Laredo is ahead on safety — 63/100 safety versus 50/100. Lean Omaha instead when you already know the Omaha block you would live on and the safety gap is acceptable.
Common questions
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