Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Cajon, CA
VS
Las Vegas, NV
🏆 Las Vegas leads 17 of 22 categories
El Cajon
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,128
Violent Crime Index
114⚠ High
Population
105,721
Las Vegas
Nevada
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,356 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
113⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
644,835 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Cajon, CA
Pros
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 104°F
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 58°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $593,500
Higher rents — median is $1,686/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV
Pros
Homes cost $228k less ($365,300 vs $593,500)
Rent averages $330/mo less ($1,356 vs $1,686)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (7.4%)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than El Cajon
More college-educated — 26.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 18.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Property crime (2622.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Hot summers — July highs average 104°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Las Vegas
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 101.6 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Las Vegas
Median Income
$2,228
$66,356 vs $64,128/yr
Las Vegas
Median Home Value
$228k less
$365,300 vs $593,500
Las Vegas
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
7.4% vs 8.1% unemployment
Las Vegas
Summer Heat
17.7°F warmer
July avg high 103.8°F vs 86.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Cajon, CA | Las Vegas, NV |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $593,500⚠ High | $365,300⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,686⚠ High | $1,356⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,128 | $66,356 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.1%⚠ High | 7.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter | 25.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.8% | 9.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 97 ✓ Safer | 118⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High | 113⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | C+ (88) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.8:1 | 18.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.0% | 26.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 84.8% | 85.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cajon Valley Union | Clark County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 58.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.1°F | 103.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.5" | 6.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,721 | 644,835 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.6 | 38.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.7% | 54.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.6% ✓ More | 22.9% |
| Over 65 | 13.5% | 15.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Cajon's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Las Vegas's 101.6 (US average = 100).
Las Vegas is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Las Vegas leads 17 of 22 categories. El Cajon wins 5 and Las Vegas wins 17. 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 El Cajon to Las Vegas or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($593,500 vs $365,300 median home), income ($64,128 vs $66,356), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Cajon, CA and Las Vegas, NV are about 256 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.