Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Baltimore, MD
VS
El Paso, TX
🏆 El Paso leads 15 of 23 categories
Baltimore
Maryland
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$58,349 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
423⚠ High
Population
584,548
El Paso
Texas
15
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.
Baltimore, MD
Pros
More college-educated — 34.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 96°F
Households earn $2,639 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (1606.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 13% higher than El Paso
Property crime (4157.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Longer commutes — 30.1 min average each way
El Paso, TX
Pros
83% less violent crime than Baltimore
Homes cost $44k less ($159,300 vs $202,900)
Rent averages $259/mo less ($976 vs $1,235)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Baltimore
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 44°F
Cons
Median income trails Baltimore by $2,639/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Baltimore
Median Income
$2,639
$58,349 vs $55,710/yr
El Paso
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 102.7 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Violent Crime
83% lower
278.4 vs 1606.2 per 100k
El Paso
Median Home Value
$44k less
$159,300 vs $202,900
El Paso
Summer Heat
5.7°F warmer
July avg high 95.8°F vs 90.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Baltimore, MD | El Paso, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.7⚠ High | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $202,900 | $159,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,235 | $976 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,349 ✓ Higher | $55,710 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9%⚠ High | 6.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.1 min⚠ High | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.4% ✓ Higher | 6.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 333⚠ High | 72 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 423⚠ High | 73 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 198⚠ High | 71 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.9% ✓ Higher | 27.1% |
| High School or Higher | 87.1% ✓ Higher | 81.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Baltimore City Public Schools | EL PASO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 43.7°F | 58.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.1°F | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.7" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 19.3" | 2.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 584,548 | 677,181 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.0 ✓ Older | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.8% | 59.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.8% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Baltimore's cost of living index is 102.7 vs El Paso's 90.2 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 15 of 23 categories. Baltimore 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 Baltimore to El Paso or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($202,900 vs $159,300 median home), income ($58,349 vs $55,710), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Baltimore, MD and El Paso, TX are about 1,744 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.