Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Monte, CA
VS
Providence, RI
🏆 Providence 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
Population
108,682
Providence
Rhode Island
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$61,365 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
189,715 ✓ 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 38°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $597,200
Higher rents — median is $1,605/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Providence
Providence, RI
Pros
Homes cost $304k less ($293,000 vs $597,200)
35% less violent crime than El Monte
Rent averages $391/mo less ($1,214 vs $1,605)
More college-educated — 34.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
15% cheaper overall cost of living than El Monte
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Providence
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Providence
Median Income
$1,436
$61,365 vs $59,929/yr
Providence
Violent Crime
35% lower
276.7 vs 423.2 per 100k
Providence
Median Home Value
$304k less
$293,000 vs $597,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Monte, CA | Providence, RI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $597,200⚠ High | $293,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605⚠ High | $1,214 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,929 | $61,365 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High | 24.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 11.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 106⚠ High | 75 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 73 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 98 | 79 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | B- (95) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 34.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.9% | 82.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mountain View Elementary | Providence |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer | 38.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer | 83.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" ✓ Drier | 47.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 36.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,682 | 189,715 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 32.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 39.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% ✓ More | 20.7% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 11.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Monte's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Providence's 100.9 (US average = 100).
Providence is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Providence leads 15 of 23 categories. El Monte wins 8 and Providence 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 Providence or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,200 vs $293,000 median home), income ($59,929 vs $61,365), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Monte, CA and Providence, RI are about 2,563 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.