Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Dallas, TX
VS
El Paso, TX
🏆 El Paso leads 15 of 23 categories
Dallas
Texas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$63,985 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
173⚠ High
Population
1,300,642 ✓ Larger
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
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Dallas, TX
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (5.0%)
Households earn $8,275 more per year on average
More college-educated — 36.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (658.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 13% higher than El Paso
Property crime (3351.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $111k less ($159,300 vs $270,700)
58% less violent crime than Dallas
Rent averages $329/mo less ($976 vs $1,305)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Dallas
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Cons
Median income trails Dallas by $8,275/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 5.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Dallas
Median Income
$8,275
$63,985 vs $55,710/yr
Dallas
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
5.0% vs 6.8% unemployment
El Paso
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Violent Crime
58% lower
278.4 vs 658.2 per 100k
El Paso
Median Home Value
$111k less
$159,300 vs $270,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Dallas, TX | El Paso, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $270,700 | $159,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,305 | $976 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,985 ✓ Higher | $55,710 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.4 min | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.9% ✓ Higher | 6.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 168⚠ High | 72 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 173⚠ High | 73 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 160⚠ High | 71 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.5% ✓ Higher | 27.1% |
| High School or Higher | 80.2% | 81.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DALLAS ISD | EL PASO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.7°F | 58.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 96.9°F ✓ Warmer | 95.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.4" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.7" ✓ Less | 2.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 1,300,642 ✓ Larger | 677,181 |
| Median Age | 33.1 | 33.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.9% | 59.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.4% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.0% | 13.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Dallas's cost of living index is 103.3 vs El Paso's 90.2 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 15 of 23 categories. Dallas 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 Dallas to El Paso or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($270,700 vs $159,300 median home), income ($63,985 vs $55,710), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Dallas, TX and El Paso, TX are about 568 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.