Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Daly City, CA
VS
El Monte, CA
🏆 Daly City leads 12 of 22 categories
Daly City
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,910 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
78 ✓ Safer
Population
103,648
El Monte
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
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.
Daly City, CA
Pros
Households earn $54,981 more per year on average
30% less violent crime than El Monte
More college-educated — 38.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (5.4%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 86°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,073,100
Higher rents — median is $2,554/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Cost of living runs 3% higher than El Monte
El Monte, CA
Pros
Homes cost $476k less ($597,200 vs $1,073,100)
Rent averages $949/mo less ($1,605 vs $2,554)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 59°F
Smaller class sizes — 19.2:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Daly City
Cons
Median income trails Daly City by $54,981/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (7.0% vs 5.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Daly City
Median Income
$54,981
$114,910 vs $59,929/yr
Daly City
Violent Crime
30% lower
296.3 vs 423.2 per 100k
Daly City
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
5.4% vs 7.0% unemployment
El Monte
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 115.5 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
El Monte
Median Home Value
$476k less
$597,200 vs $1,073,100
El Monte
Summer Heat
23.7°F warmer
July avg high 85.5°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Daly City, CA | El Monte, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,073,100⚠ High | $597,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,554⚠ High | $1,605⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,910 ✓ Higher | $59,929 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.8 min⚠ High | 29.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.1% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 81 ✓ Safer | 106⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 86 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) ✓ Better | C- (66) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.3:1 | 19.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.5% ✓ Higher | 13.7% |
| High School or Higher | 87.8% ✓ Higher | 63.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson Elementary | Mountain View Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.6" | 15.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 103,648 | 108,682 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.4 ✓ Older | 37.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.2% ✓ Higher | 39.6% |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | 22.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.5% ✓ More | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Daly City's cost of living index is 118.2 vs El Monte's 115.5 (US average = 100).
El Monte is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Daly City leads 12 of 22 categories. Daly City wins 12 and El Monte wins 10. 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 Daly City to El Monte or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,073,100 vs $597,200 median home), income ($114,910 vs $59,929), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Daly City, CA and El Monte, CA are about 352 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.