Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Monte, CA
VS
Norman, OK
🏆 Norman leads 16 of 23 categories
El Monte
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
108,682
Norman
Oklahoma
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,849 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
68 ✓ Safer
Population
127,701 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Monte, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 50°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 93°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $597,200
Higher rents — median is $1,605/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Norman
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Norman, OK
Pros
Homes cost $372k less ($224,900 vs $597,200)
Rent averages $601/mo less ($1,004 vs $1,605)
39% less violent crime than El Monte
25% cheaper overall cost of living than El Monte
More college-educated — 45.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (260.2 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Norman
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Norman
Median Income
$2,920
$62,849 vs $59,929/yr
Norman
Violent Crime
39% lower
260.2 vs 423.2 per 100k
Norman
Median Home Value
$372k less
$224,900 vs $597,200
Norman
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
5.8% vs 7.0% unemployment
Norman
Summer Heat
7.0°F warmer
July avg high 92.5°F vs 85.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Monte, CA | Norman, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $597,200⚠ High | $224,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605⚠ High | $1,004 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,929 | $62,849 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High | 22.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 9.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 106⚠ High | 84 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 68 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 98 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 16.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 45.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.9% | 94.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mountain View Elementary | NORMAN |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer | 49.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" ✓ Drier | 37.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 4.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,682 | 127,701 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 31.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 52.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% ✓ More | 18.1% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Monte's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Norman's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Norman is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Norman leads 16 of 23 categories. El Monte wins 7 and Norman 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 Monte to Norman or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,200 vs $224,900 median home), income ($59,929 vs $62,849), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Monte, CA and Norman, OK are about 1,176 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.