Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Cajon, CA
VS
Yakima, WA
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
El Cajon
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,128 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
114⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
105,721 ✓ Larger
Yakima
Washington
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,734
Violent Crime Index
143⚠ High
Population
96,764
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Cajon, CA
Pros
20% less violent crime than Yakima
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 40°F
Households earn $8,394 more per year on average
More college-educated — 23.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
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 Yakima
Yakima, WA
Pros
Homes cost $350k less ($243,300 vs $593,500)
Rent averages $672/mo less ($1,014 vs $1,686)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than El Cajon
Smaller class sizes — 17.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (544.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails El Cajon by $8,394/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
El Cajon
Median Income
$8,394
$64,128 vs $55,734/yr
El Cajon
Violent Crime
20% lower
434.4 vs 544.3 per 100k
Yakima
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 101.6 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Yakima
Median Home Value
$350k less
$243,300 vs $593,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Cajon, CA | Yakima, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 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 | $243,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,686⚠ High | $1,014 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,128 ✓ Higher | $55,734 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.1%⚠ High | 8.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min | 17.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.8% ✓ Higher | 5.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 97 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | C (79) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.8:1 | 17.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.0% ✓ Higher | 19.3% |
| High School or Higher | 84.8% ✓ Higher | 77.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cajon Valley Union | Yakima School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 39.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.1°F | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.5" | 8.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 20.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,721 ✓ Larger | 96,764 |
| Median Age | 35.6 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.7% | 53.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | 27.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.5% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Cajon's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Yakima's 101.6 (US average = 100).
Yakima is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. El Cajon wins 11 and Yakima wins 11. 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 Yakima or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($593,500 vs $243,300 median home), income ($64,128 vs $55,734), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Cajon, CA and Yakima, WA are about 971 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.