Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Durham, NC
VS
El Monte, CA
🏆 Durham leads 14 of 23 categories
Durham
North Carolina
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,710 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
284,094 ✓ Larger
El Monte
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
108,682
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Durham, NC
Pros
Homes cost $281k less ($316,600 vs $597,200)
More college-educated — 53.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (4.3%)
Households earn $14,781 more per year on average
Rent averages $309/mo less ($1,296 vs $1,605)
19% cheaper overall cost of living than El Monte
Cons
Violent crime (619.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3799.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
El Monte, CA
Pros
32% less violent crime than Durham
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 49°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $597,200
Median income trails Durham by $14,781/yr
Higher rents — median is $1,605/mo
Cost of living runs 19% higher than Durham
Key Differences at a Glance
Durham
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 96.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Durham
Median Income
$14,781
$74,710 vs $59,929/yr
Durham
Median Home Value
$281k less
$316,600 vs $597,200
Durham
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
4.3% vs 7.0% unemployment
El Monte
Violent Crime
32% lower
423.2 vs 619.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Durham, NC | El Monte, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.6 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower | $597,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,296 ✓ Lower | $1,605⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,710 ✓ Higher | $59,929 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.3 min ✓ Shorter | 29.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 17.9% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 170⚠ High | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 163⚠ High | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 181⚠ High | 98 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C- (66) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.8% ✓ Higher | 13.7% |
| High School or Higher | 91.3% ✓ Higher | 63.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Durham Public Schools | Mountain View Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.9°F | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.0°F ✓ Warmer | 85.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.0" | 15.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,094 ✓ Larger | 108,682 |
| Median Age | 34.7 | 37.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.0% ✓ Higher | 39.6% |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | 22.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.7% | 14.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Durham's cost of living index is 96.6 vs El Monte's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Durham is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Durham leads 14 of 23 categories. Durham wins 14 and El Monte wins 9. 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 Durham to El Monte or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($316,600 vs $597,200 median home), income ($74,710 vs $59,929), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Durham, NC and El Monte, CA are about 2,203 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.