Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Paso, TX
VS
Irvine, CA
🏆 Irvine leads 12 of 23 categories
El Paso
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710
Violent Crime Index
73
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
Irvine
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $866k less ($159,300 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1773/mo less ($976 vs $2,749)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Smaller class sizes — 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $67,238/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 5.5%)
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $67,238 more per year on average
70% less violent crime than El Paso
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (5.5%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 96°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than El Paso
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
El Paso
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Median Home Value
$866k less
$159,300 vs $1,025,700
El Paso
Summer Heat
10.7°F warmer
July avg high 95.8°F vs 85.1°F
Irvine
Median Income
$67,238
$122,948 vs $55,710/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
70% lower
84.0 vs 278.4 per 100k
Irvine
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Paso, TX | Irvine, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $159,300 ✓ Lower | $1,025,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $976 ✓ Lower | $2,749⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $55,710 | $122,948 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 24.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 23.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 | 40 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 | 22 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 | 66 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 26.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.1% | 70.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.5% | 96.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | EL PASO ISD | Irvine Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.6°F | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer | 85.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3" ✓ Drier | 14.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 677,181 ✓ Larger | 304,527 |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 33.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 43.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 21.8% |
| Over 65 | 13.5% ✓ More | 10.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Paso's cost of living index is 90.2 vs Irvine's 115.5 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Irvine leads 12 of 23 categories. El Paso wins 11 and Irvine 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 Paso to Irvine or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($159,300 vs $1,025,700 median home), income ($55,710 vs $122,948), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Paso, TX and Irvine, CA are about 671 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.