Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Cajon, CA
VS
Provo, UT
🏆 Provo leads 15 of 23 categories
El Cajon
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,128 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
114⚠ High
Population
105,721
Provo
Utah
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,943
Violent Crime Index
54 ✓ Safer
Population
114,400 ✓ Larger
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 41°F
Households earn $6,185 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 95°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,686/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $593,500
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Provo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Provo, UT
Pros
Rent averages $597/mo less ($1,089 vs $1,686)
Homes cost $202k less ($391,500 vs $593,500)
52% less violent crime than El Cajon
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.7 pts lower (4.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (206.6 vs 380/100k)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than El Cajon
Cons
Median income trails El Cajon by $6,185/yr
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
El Cajon
Median Income
$6,185
$64,128 vs $57,943/yr
Provo
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 95.8 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Provo
Violent Crime
52% lower
206.6 vs 434.4 per 100k
Provo
Median Home Value
$202k less
$391,500 vs $593,500
Provo
Unemployment
3.7 pp lower
4.4% vs 8.1% unemployment
Provo
Summer Heat
9.1°F warmer
July avg high 95.2°F vs 86.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Cajon, CA | Provo, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $593,500⚠ High | $391,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,686⚠ High | $1,089 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,128 ✓ Higher | $57,943 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.1%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min | 18.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.8% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 97 | 57 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High | 54 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | B (102) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.8:1 | 20.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.0% | 44.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 84.8% | 92.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cajon Valley Union | Provo District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 41.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.1°F | 95.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.5" ✓ Drier | 17.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 44.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,721 | 114,400 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.6 ✓ Older | 23.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.7% ✓ Higher | 39.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.6% ✓ More | 18.9% |
| Over 65 | 13.5% ✓ More | 6.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Cajon's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Provo's 95.8 (US average = 100).
Provo is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Provo leads 15 of 23 categories. El Cajon wins 8 and Provo 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 El Cajon to Provo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($593,500 vs $391,500 median home), income ($64,128 vs $57,943), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Cajon, CA and Provo, UT are about 593 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.