Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Alexandria, VA
VS
El Paso, TX
🏆 El Paso leads 15 of 23 categories
Alexandria
Virginia
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$113,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
58 ✓ Safer
Population
157,594
El Paso
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710
Violent Crime Index
73
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Alexandria, VA
Pros
Households earn $57,469 more per year on average
21% less violent crime than El Paso
More college-educated — 66.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.6 pts lower (3.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (219.1 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 96°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $655,700
Higher rents — median is $1,983/mo
Cost of living runs 18% higher than El Paso
Property crime (2640.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $496k less ($159,300 vs $655,700)
Rent averages $1007/mo less ($976 vs $1,983)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Alexandria
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 45°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Cons
Median income trails Alexandria by $57,469/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 3.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Alexandria
Median Income
$57,469
$113,179 vs $55,710/yr
Alexandria
Violent Crime
21% lower
219.1 vs 278.4 per 100k
Alexandria
Unemployment
3.6 pp lower
3.2% vs 6.8% unemployment
El Paso
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Median Home Value
$496k less
$159,300 vs $655,700
El Paso
Summer Heat
6.2°F warmer
July avg high 95.8°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Alexandria, VA | El Paso, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $655,700⚠ High | $159,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,983⚠ High | $976 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $113,179 ✓ Higher | $55,710 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.1 min⚠ High | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.1% ✓ Higher | 6.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 | 72 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 73 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 71 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 66.0% ✓ Higher | 27.1% |
| High School or Higher | 93.7% ✓ Higher | 81.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Alexandria City Public Schools | EL PASO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 58.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 2.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 157,594 | 677,181 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.7% | 59.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 13.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Alexandria's cost of living index is 108.6 vs El Paso's 90.2 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 15 of 23 categories. Alexandria wins 8 and El Paso wins 15. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Alexandria to El Paso or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($655,700 vs $159,300 median home), income ($113,179 vs $55,710), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Alexandria, VA and El Paso, TX are about 1,715 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.