Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Birmingham, AL
VS
El Paso, TX
🏆 El Paso leads 15 of 23 categories
Birmingham
Alabama
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.6
Median Household Income
$42,464
Violent Crime Index
328⚠ High
Population
200,431
El Paso
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710 ✓ Higher
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.
Birmingham, AL
Pros
Homes cost $36k less ($123,000 vs $159,300)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.6)
Cons
Violent crime (1246.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails El Paso by $13,246/yr
Property crime (4031.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.5% vs 6.8%)
El Paso, TX
Pros
78% less violent crime than Birmingham
Households earn $13,246 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (6.8%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Smaller class sizes — 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Birmingham
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Birmingham
Median Home Value
$36k less
$123,000 vs $159,300
El Paso
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 92.6 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Median Income
$13,246
$55,710 vs $42,464/yr
El Paso
Violent Crime
78% lower
278.4 vs 1246.6 per 100k
El Paso
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
6.8% vs 7.5% unemployment
El Paso
Summer Heat
4.8°F warmer
July avg high 95.8°F vs 91.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Birmingham, AL | El Paso, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.6 | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $123,000 ✓ Lower | $159,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $995 | $976 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $42,464 | $55,710 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5%⚠ High | 6.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter | 23.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% ✓ Higher | 6.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High | 72 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 328⚠ High | 73 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 192⚠ High | 71 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B- (94) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.4% ✓ Higher | 27.1% |
| High School or Higher | 88.1% ✓ Higher | 81.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Birmingham City | EL PASO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.5°F | 58.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.0°F | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.1" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.4" ✓ Less | 2.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,431 | 677,181 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.9 ✓ Older | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.9% | 59.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.2% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Birmingham's cost of living index is 92.6 vs El Paso's 90.2 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 15 of 23 categories. Birmingham 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 Birmingham to El Paso or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($123,000 vs $159,300 median home), income ($42,464 vs $55,710), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Birmingham, AL and El Paso, TX are about 1,146 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.