Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bend, OR
VS
El Monte, CA
🏆 Bend leads 16 of 23 categories
Bend
Oregon
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,671 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
99,442
El Monte
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
108,682 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bend, OR
Pros
60% less violent crime than El Monte
Households earn $22,742 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 pts lower (3.8%)
More college-educated — 48.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Violent crime is well below the national average (168.5 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
El Monte, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 43°F
Cons
Median income trails Bend by $22,742/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (7.0% vs 3.8%)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Bend
Key Differences at a Glance
Bend
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 105.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Bend
Median Income
$22,742
$82,671 vs $59,929/yr
Bend
Violent Crime
60% lower
168.5 vs 423.2 per 100k
Bend
Median Home Value
$20k less
$576,900 vs $597,200
Bend
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
3.8% vs 7.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bend, OR | El Monte, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $576,900⚠ High ✓ Lower | $597,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,649⚠ High | $1,605⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,671 ✓ Higher | $59,929 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.1 min ✓ Shorter | 29.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 19.0% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 53 ✓ Safer | 106⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | C- (66) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 | 19.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.4% ✓ Higher | 13.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 63.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bend-LaPine Administrative SD 1 | Mountain View Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.5°F | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.8°F | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.6" ✓ Drier | 15.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,442 | 108,682 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 37.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.2% ✓ Higher | 39.6% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 22.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.0% ✓ More | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bend's cost of living index is 105.8 vs El Monte's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Bend is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bend leads 16 of 23 categories. Bend wins 16 and El Monte wins 7. 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 Bend to El Monte or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($576,900 vs $597,200 median home), income ($82,671 vs $59,929), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bend, OR and El Monte, CA are about 712 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.