Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, TX
VS
El Paso, TX
🏆 El Paso leads 14 of 23 categories
Arlington
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,736 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
393,469
El Paso
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, TX
Pros
Households earn $16,026 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (5.6%)
More college-educated — 32.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (482.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 13% higher than El Paso
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $92k less ($159,300 vs $251,300)
42% less violent crime than Arlington
Rent averages $321/mo less ($976 vs $1,297)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $16,026/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 5.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$16,026
$71,736 vs $55,710/yr
Arlington
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.8% unemployment
El Paso
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Violent Crime
42% lower
278.4 vs 482.9 per 100k
El Paso
Median Home Value
$92k less
$159,300 vs $251,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, TX | El Paso, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $251,300 | $159,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,297 | $976 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,736 ✓ Higher | $55,710 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.9 min | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% ✓ Higher | 6.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 122⚠ High | 72 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High | 73 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 71 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 32.4% ✓ Higher | 27.1% |
| High School or Higher | 85.9% ✓ Higher | 81.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ARLINGTON ISD | EL PASO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.9°F | 58.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer | 95.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.2" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.8" ✓ Less | 2.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 393,469 | 677,181 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.1 | 33.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.9% | 59.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.1% | 13.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 103.3 vs El Paso's 90.2 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 14 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 9 and El Paso wins 14. 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 Arlington to El Paso or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($251,300 vs $159,300 median home), income ($71,736 vs $55,710), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, TX and El Paso, TX are about 547 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.