Winston-Salem Laredo

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 92.0 → 87.0
Rent Delta: +$201/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 5% lower cost of living
  • + Better student-teacher ratios
  • + More affordable childcare

Cons of Moving

  • - $201/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - $10K lower median salary
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Winston-Salem to Laredo shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 92.0 to 87.0 (100 = US average), so a Winston-Salem salary needs to be multiplied by 0.94 to hold the same purchasing power in Laredo. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $960/month in Winston-Salem to $1,161/month in Laredo - a higher monthly bill of $201, or $2,412/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $63,918 in Winston-Salem versus $53,494 in Laredo - a raw gap of $10,424 lower. The Laredo labor market has 102,920 tracked jobs against 259,100 in Winston-Salem, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Winston-Salem and Laredo are 365 and 395 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 15.8:1 at origin versus 14.7:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $9,487/year in Winston-Salem versus $7,566/year in Laredo. Our composite verdict - Neutral — Depends on Priorities - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Winston-Salem
Laredo
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 92.0
RPP 87.0
Laredo
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$960/mo
$1,161/mo
Winston-Salem
💼 Wages
$63,918
$53,494
Winston-Salem
🔒 Crime
365 per 100K
395 per 100K
Winston-Salem
🎓 Schools
15.8:1
14.7:1
Laredo
👶 Childcare
$9,487/yr
$7,566/yr
Laredo
🌿 Environment
2788 violations
33822 violations
Winston-Salem

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Winston-Salem to see what you'd need to earn in Laredo to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Laredo
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Laredo more expensive than Winston-Salem?
Laredo has an RPP of 87.0 compared to Winston-Salem's 92.0 (100 = national average). Winston-Salem is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Laredo is $1,161/mo vs $960/mo in Winston-Salem.
What are salaries like in Laredo compared to Winston-Salem?
The median salary in Laredo is $53,494 compared to $63,918 in Winston-Salem. That's a -$10,424 difference.
Is Laredo safer than Winston-Salem?
The violent crime rate near Laredo is 395 per 100K vs 365 per 100K near Winston-Salem (state-level data). Winston-Salem has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Laredo to match my Winston-Salem salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Winston-Salem salary by 0.94. For example, a $75,000 salary in Winston-Salem would need to be $70,855 in Laredo. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" means both metros are roughly equivalent across the 7 dimensions. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)