Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Paso, TX
VS
Grand Prairie, TX
🏆 El Paso leads 15 of 22 categories
El Paso
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710
Violent Crime Index
73
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
Grand Prairie
Texas
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,626 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
58 ✓ Safer
Population
197,279
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $84k less ($159,300 vs $242,900)
Rent averages $405/mo less ($976 vs $1,381)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Grand Prairie
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Cons
Median income trails Grand Prairie by $20,916/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 5.0%)
Grand Prairie, TX
Pros
Households earn $20,916 more per year on average
21% less violent crime than El Paso
Violent crime is well below the national average (221.2 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (5.0%)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,381/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than El Paso
Longer commutes — 28.1 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
El Paso
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Median Home Value
$84k less
$159,300 vs $242,900
Grand Prairie
Median Income
$20,916
$76,626 vs $55,710/yr
Grand Prairie
Violent Crime
21% lower
221.2 vs 278.4 per 100k
Grand Prairie
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
5.0% vs 6.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Paso, TX | Grand Prairie, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $159,300 ✓ Lower | $242,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $976 ✓ Lower | $1,381⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $55,710 | $76,626 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 28.1 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 9.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 | 65 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 | 58 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 76 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.1% ✓ Higher | 26.9% |
| High School or Higher | 81.5% ✓ Higher | 81.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | EL PASO ISD | GRAND PRAIRIE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.6°F ✓ Warmer | 58.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer | 95.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3" ✓ Drier | 40.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.8" | 0.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 677,181 ✓ Larger | 197,279 |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 59.2% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% | 27.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.5% ✓ More | 10.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Paso's cost of living index is 90.2 vs Grand Prairie's 103.3 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, El Paso leads 15 of 22 categories. El Paso wins 15 and Grand Prairie wins 7. 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 Paso to Grand Prairie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($159,300 vs $242,900 median home), income ($55,710 vs $76,626), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Paso, TX and Grand Prairie, TX are about 553 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.