Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Monte, CA
VS
West Covina, CA
🏆 West Covina leads 12 of 21 categories
El Monte
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
108,682 ✓ Larger
West Covina
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$96,219 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
63 ✓ Safer
Population
108,173
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Monte, CA
Pros
Rent averages $449/mo less ($1,605 vs $2,054)
Homes cost $67k less ($597,200 vs $664,500)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 19.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails West Covina by $36,290/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
West Covina, CA
Pros
Households earn $36,290 more per year on average
43% less violent crime than El Monte
Violent crime is well below the national average (239.3 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 29.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $2,054/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Pricier housing — median home is $664,500
Longer commutes — 33.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
El Monte
Median Home Value
$67k less
$597,200 vs $664,500
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
West Covina
Median Income
$36,290
$96,219 vs $59,929/yr
West Covina
Violent Crime
43% lower
239.3 vs 423.2 per 100k
West Covina
Summer Heat
4.8°F warmer
July avg high 90.3°F vs 85.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Monte, CA | West Covina, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $597,200⚠ High ✓ Lower | $664,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,054⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,929 | $96,219 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High | 6.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 33.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 9.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 106⚠ High | 78 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 63 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 98 ✓ Safer | 100 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | B- (92) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 29.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.9% | 86.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mountain View Elementary | West Covina Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer | 67.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" ✓ Drier | 16.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,682 ✓ Larger | 108,173 |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 39.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 62.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% ✓ More | 19.7% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 16.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Monte's cost of living index is 115.5 vs West Covina's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, West Covina leads 12 of 21 categories. El Monte wins 9 and West Covina wins 12. 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 West Covina or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,200 vs $664,500 median home), income ($59,929 vs $96,219), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Monte, CA and West Covina, CA are about 7 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.