Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Monte, CA
VS
Stamford, CT
🏆 Stamford leads 17 of 23 categories
El Monte
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
108,682
Stamford
Connecticut
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$100,718 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
41 ✓ Safer
Population
135,413 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Monte, CA
Pros
Rent averages $524/mo less ($1,605 vs $2,129)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 38°F
Cons
Median income trails Stamford by $40,789/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (7.0% vs 5.5%)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Stamford
Stamford, CT
Pros
Households earn $40,789 more per year on average
63% less violent crime than El Monte
More college-educated — 50.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (157.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (5.5%)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than El Monte
Cons
Higher rents — median is $2,129/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Stamford
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 106.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Stamford
Median Income
$40,789
$100,718 vs $59,929/yr
Stamford
Violent Crime
63% lower
157.5 vs 423.2 per 100k
Stamford
Median Home Value
$13k less
$584,700 vs $597,200
Stamford
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
5.5% vs 7.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Monte, CA | Stamford, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 106.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $597,200⚠ High | $584,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,129⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,929 | $100,718 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High | 27.8 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 14.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 106⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 41 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 98 | 58 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | A (120) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 12.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 50.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.9% | 88.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mountain View Elementary | Stamford School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer | 38.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer | 84.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" ✓ Drier | 50.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 34.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,682 | 135,413 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 46.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% ✓ More | 19.2% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 15.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Monte's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Stamford's 106.5 (US average = 100).
Stamford is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Stamford leads 17 of 23 categories. El Monte wins 6 and Stamford wins 17. 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 Stamford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,200 vs $584,700 median home), income ($59,929 vs $100,718), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Monte, CA and Stamford, CT are about 2,456 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.