Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Monte, CA
VS
Lakewood, CO
🏆 Lakewood leads 15 of 23 categories
El Monte
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
108,682
Lakewood
Colorado
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,786 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
207⚠ High
Population
156,149 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Monte, CA
Pros
46% less violent crime than Lakewood
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 45°F
Cons
Median income trails Lakewood by $22,857/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $597,200
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Lakewood
Lakewood, CO
Pros
Households earn $22,857 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (4.4%)
More college-educated — 44.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Homes cost $103k less ($494,100 vs $597,200)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than El Monte
Smaller class sizes — 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (787.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5093.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 58" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
El Monte
Violent Crime
46% lower
423.2 vs 787.2 per 100k
Lakewood
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 105.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Lakewood
Median Income
$22,857
$82,786 vs $59,929/yr
Lakewood
Median Home Value
$103k less
$494,100 vs $597,200
Lakewood
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
4.4% vs 7.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Monte, CA | Lakewood, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $597,200⚠ High | $494,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,665⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,929 | $82,786 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High | 27.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 16.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer | 221⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer | 207⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 98 ✓ Safer | 243⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | B+ (105) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 44.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.9% | 93.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mountain View Elementary | Jefferson County School District No. R-1 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer | 44.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 85.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" ✓ Drier | 17.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 58.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,682 | 156,149 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 38.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 58.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 17.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Monte's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Lakewood's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Lakewood is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lakewood leads 15 of 23 categories. El Monte wins 8 and Lakewood 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 Monte to Lakewood or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,200 vs $494,100 median home), income ($59,929 vs $82,786), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Monte, CA and Lakewood, CO are about 811 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.