Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Cajon, CA
VS
Orem, UT
🏆 Orem leads 16 of 23 categories
El Cajon
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,128
Violent Crime Index
114⚠ High
Population
105,721 ✓ Larger
Orem
Utah
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$77,568 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
46 ✓ Safer
Population
97,100
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Cajon, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 38°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 93°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $593,500
Higher rents — median is $1,686/mo
Median income trails Orem by $13,440/yr
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Orem
Orem, UT
Pros
60% less violent crime than El Cajon
Homes cost $201k less ($392,900 vs $593,500)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.7 pts lower (3.4%)
Rent averages $396/mo less ($1,290 vs $1,686)
Violent crime is well below the national average (174.5 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $13,440 more per year on average
Cons
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Orem
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 97.1 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Orem
Median Income
$13,440
$77,568 vs $64,128/yr
Orem
Violent Crime
60% lower
174.5 vs 434.4 per 100k
Orem
Median Home Value
$201k less
$392,900 vs $593,500
Orem
Unemployment
4.7 pp lower
3.4% vs 8.1% unemployment
Orem
Summer Heat
6.4°F warmer
July avg high 92.5°F vs 86.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Cajon, CA | Orem, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 97.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $593,500⚠ High | $392,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,686⚠ High | $1,290 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,128 | $77,568 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.1%⚠ High | 3.4% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min | 19.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.8% | 13.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 97 | 53 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | B (99) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.0% | 42.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 84.8% | 93.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cajon Valley Union | Alpine District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 37.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.1°F | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.5" ✓ Drier | 17.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 44.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,721 ✓ Larger | 97,100 |
| Median Age | 35.6 ✓ Older | 26.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.7% | 59.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | 27.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.5% ✓ More | 10.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Cajon's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Orem's 97.1 (US average = 100).
Orem is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Orem leads 16 of 23 categories. El Cajon wins 7 and Orem wins 16. 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 Orem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($593,500 vs $392,900 median home), income ($64,128 vs $77,568), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Cajon, CA and Orem, UT are about 594 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.