Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Paso, TX
VS
Joliet, IL
🏆 El Paso leads 15 of 23 categories
El Paso
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
Joliet
Illinois
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,971 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
92
Population
150,221
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $75k less ($159,300 vs $233,800)
20% less violent crime than Joliet
Rent averages $198/mo less ($976 vs $1,174)
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 31°F
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Joliet
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Joliet by $29,261/yr
Joliet, IL
Pros
Households earn $29,261 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (6.2%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 96°F
Cons
Cost of living runs 12% higher than El Paso
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
El Paso
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Violent Crime
20% lower
278.4 vs 350.0 per 100k
El Paso
Median Home Value
$75k less
$159,300 vs $233,800
El Paso
Summer Heat
12.2°F warmer
July avg high 95.8°F vs 83.6°F
Joliet
Median Income
$29,261
$84,971 vs $55,710/yr
Joliet
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
6.2% vs 6.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Paso, TX | Joliet, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper | 102.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $159,300 ✓ Lower | $233,800 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $976 ✓ Lower | $1,174 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $55,710 | $84,971 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High | 6.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 29.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 ✓ Safer | 79 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 92 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 | 59 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.1% ✓ Higher | 24.9% |
| High School or Higher | 81.5% | 84.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | EL PASO ISD | Joliet PSD 86 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.6°F ✓ Warmer | 31.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer | 83.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3" ✓ Drier | 40.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.8" ✓ Less | 16.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 677,181 ✓ Larger | 150,221 |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 34.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% | 72.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.4% | 26.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.5% ✓ More | 10.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Paso's cost of living index is 90.2 vs Joliet's 102.6 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 15 of 23 categories. El Paso wins 15 and Joliet wins 8. 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 Joliet or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($159,300 vs $233,800 median home), income ($55,710 vs $84,971), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Paso, TX and Joliet, IL are about 1,210 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.