Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Cajon, CA
VS
San Tan Valley, AZ
🏆 San Tan Valley leads 15 of 22 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
San Tan Valley
Arizona
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$88,466 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
62 ✓ Safer
Population
101,207
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Cajon, CA
Pros
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 104°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $593,500
Median income trails San Tan Valley by $24,338/yr
Cost of living runs 12% higher than San Tan Valley
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
San Tan Valley, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $290k less ($304,000 vs $593,500)
46% less violent crime than El Cajon
Households earn $24,338 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.6 pts lower (4.5%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (235.7 vs 380/100k)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than El Cajon
Cons
Longer commutes — 36.2 min average each way
Hot summers — July highs average 104°F
Key Differences at a Glance
San Tan Valley
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 100.0 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
San Tan Valley
Median Income
$24,338
$88,466 vs $64,128/yr
San Tan Valley
Violent Crime
46% lower
235.7 vs 434.4 per 100k
San Tan Valley
Median Home Value
$290k less
$304,000 vs $593,500
San Tan Valley
Unemployment
3.6 pp lower
4.5% vs 8.1% unemployment
San Tan Valley
Summer Heat
18.1°F warmer
July avg high 104.2°F vs 86.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Cajon, CA | San Tan Valley, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 100.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $593,500⚠ High | $304,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,686⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,729⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,128 | $88,466 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.1%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter | 36.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.8% | 13.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 97 | 56 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High | 62 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 | 46 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | C+ (83) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.8:1 | 19.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.0% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| High School or Higher | 84.8% | 92.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cajon Valley Union | J O Combs Unified School District (4445) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 65.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.1°F | 104.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.5" | 8.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,721 ✓ Larger | 101,207 |
| Median Age | 35.6 ✓ Older | 34.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.7% | 80.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | 28.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.5% ✓ More | 11.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Cajon's cost of living index is 111.5 vs San Tan Valley's 100.0 (US average = 100).
San Tan Valley is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, San Tan Valley leads 15 of 22 categories. El Cajon wins 7 and San Tan Valley 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 San Tan Valley or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($593,500 vs $304,000 median home), income ($64,128 vs $88,466), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Cajon, CA and San Tan Valley, AZ are about 314 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.