Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Monte, CA
VS
The Woodlands, TX
🏆 The Woodlands leads 18 of 22 categories
El Monte
California
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
108,682
The Woodlands
Texas
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$142,384 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
62 ✓ Safer
Population
118,402 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Monte, CA
Pros
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 94°F
Rent averages $118/mo less ($1,605 vs $1,723)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 63°F
Cons
Median income trails The Woodlands by $82,455/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $597,200
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 15% higher than The Woodlands
The Woodlands, TX
Pros
Households earn $82,455 more per year on average
More college-educated — 66.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
44% less violent crime than El Monte
Homes cost $141k less ($456,400 vs $597,200)
Violent crime is well below the national average (235.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (5.3%)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,723/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
The Woodlands
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
The Woodlands
Median Income
$82,455
$142,384 vs $59,929/yr
The Woodlands
Violent Crime
44% lower
235.4 vs 423.2 per 100k
The Woodlands
Median Home Value
$141k less
$456,400 vs $597,200
The Woodlands
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
5.3% vs 7.0% unemployment
The Woodlands
Summer Heat
8.7°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 85.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Monte, CA | The Woodlands, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $597,200⚠ High | $456,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,723⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,929 | $142,384 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High | 28.2 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 17.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 106⚠ High | 62 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 62 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 98 | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | A (128) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 66.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.9% | 97.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mountain View Elementary | CONROE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer | 63.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" ✓ Drier | 54.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,682 | 118,402 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 40.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 72.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 27.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 13.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Monte's cost of living index is 115.5 vs The Woodlands's 100.2 (US average = 100).
The Woodlands is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, The Woodlands leads 18 of 22 categories. El Monte wins 4 and The Woodlands wins 18. 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 The Woodlands or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,200 vs $456,400 median home), income ($59,929 vs $142,384), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Monte, CA and The Woodlands, TX are about 1,342 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.