Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Concord, NC
VS
El Paso, TX
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Concord
North Carolina
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0
Median Household Income
$83,480 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
42 ✓ Safer
Population
105,335
El Paso
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710
Violent Crime Index
73
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Concord, NC
Pros
Households earn $27,770 more per year on average
43% less violent crime than El Paso
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (4.7%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (159.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 40.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Cost of living runs 7% higher than El Paso
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $129k less ($159,300 vs $288,100)
Rent averages $283/mo less ($976 vs $1,259)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Concord
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 53°F
Cons
Median income trails Concord by $27,770/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Concord
Median Income
$27,770
$83,480 vs $55,710/yr
Concord
Violent Crime
43% lower
159.0 vs 278.4 per 100k
Concord
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.8% unemployment
El Paso
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 97.0 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Median Home Value
$129k less
$159,300 vs $288,100
El Paso
Summer Heat
4.0°F warmer
July avg high 95.8°F vs 91.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Concord, NC | El Paso, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.0 | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $288,100 | $159,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,259 | $976 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,480 ✓ Higher | $55,710 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.2% ✓ Higher | 6.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 46 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 73 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 71 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.4:1 | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.8% ✓ Higher | 27.1% |
| High School or Higher | 91.2% ✓ Higher | 81.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cabarrus County Schools | EL PASO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.8°F | 58.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.0" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.3" | 2.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,335 | 677,181 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.3 ✓ Older | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.4% ✓ Higher | 59.5% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% | 25.4% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 13.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Concord's cost of living index is 97.0 vs El Paso's 90.2 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Concord wins 11 and El Paso wins 11. 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 Concord to El Paso or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($288,100 vs $159,300 median home), income ($83,480 vs $55,710), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Concord, NC and El Paso, TX are about 1,500 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.