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Laredo, TX

Cost of Living & Affordability: Laredo, TX

Updated 2026 · Based on median market data for Laredo, TX

Cap Rate
4.05%
Median Price
$175K
Rent/Mo
$1,020
1% Rule
0.58%
Fails

Housing Affordability

Laredo's price-to-income ratio is 4.1x — homes cost 4.1 times the local median household income of $42,500. This is moderately affordable. A healthy portion of the workforce can still aspire to homeownership, but many find renting more practical — creating a solid tenant base of working professionals.

Rent vs Buy Analysis

A typical mortgage payment on a median-priced home in Laredo (20% down at 7%) is approximately $1,164/mo for principal and interest alone — add taxes and insurance and the all-in payment reaches roughly $1,470. The median rent of $1,020/mo is significantly less than buying — this rent-vs-buy gap is one of the strongest indicators of sustainable rental demand. When renting is cheaper than buying, the renter pool stays deep and vacancy stays low.

Income & Employment

The median household income in Laredo is $42,500, with a population of 261,776 growing at 1% per year. Laredo is a mid-sized city with enough economic diversity to weather most downturns, though it may be more dependent on a few key employers or industries. Moderate population growth indicates a stable economic foundation.

What This Means for Investors

Laredo is affordable with moderate returns. Focus on volume — the low entry point lets you scale to multiple properties faster than in more expensive markets.

Full Laredo Analysis →Cap Rate CalculatorBRRRR Calculator

More Laredo Guides

Rental Property Investment GuideRent AnalysisProperty Tax GuideAppreciation & Growth ForecastNeighborhood Investment Guide

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