Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, SC
VS
El Paso, TX
🏆 El Paso leads 16 of 23 categories
Columbia
South Carolina
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.9
Median Household Income
$54,095
Violent Crime Index
203⚠ High
Population
136,754
El Paso
Texas
16
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.
Columbia, SC
Pros
More college-educated — 44.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.9)
Smaller class sizes — 12.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (769.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3232.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.9% vs 6.8%)
Cost of living runs 3% higher than El Paso
El Paso, TX
Pros
64% less violent crime than Columbia
Homes cost $67k less ($159,300 vs $226,200)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (6.8%)
Rent averages $129/mo less ($976 vs $1,105)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Columbia
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
El Paso
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 92.9 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Median Income
$1,615
$55,710 vs $54,095/yr
El Paso
Violent Crime
64% lower
278.4 vs 769.9 per 100k
El Paso
Median Home Value
$67k less
$159,300 vs $226,200
El Paso
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
6.8% vs 7.9% unemployment
El Paso
Summer Heat
3.3°F warmer
July avg high 95.8°F vs 92.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, SC | El Paso, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.9 | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $226,200 | $159,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,105 | $976 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,095 | $55,710 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.9%⚠ High | 6.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.4 min ✓ Shorter | 23.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.3% ✓ Higher | 6.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 183⚠ High | 72 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 203⚠ High | 73 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 154⚠ High | 71 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.8% ✓ Higher | 27.1% |
| High School or Higher | 91.2% ✓ Higher | 81.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Richland 01 | EL PASO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 56.3°F | 58.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.7" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.4" ✓ Less | 2.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 136,754 | 677,181 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.3 | 33.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.0% | 59.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 13.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 92.9 vs El Paso's 90.2 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 16 of 23 categories. Columbia wins 7 and El Paso wins 16. 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 Columbia to El Paso or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($226,200 vs $159,300 median home), income ($54,095 vs $55,710), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, SC and El Paso, TX are about 1,484 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.