Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Paso, TX
VS
Killeen, TX
🏆 El Paso leads 17 of 23 categories
El Paso
Texas
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
Killeen
Texas
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.8
Median Household Income
$57,086 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
139⚠ High
Population
153,708
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Paso, TX
Pros
47% less violent crime than Killeen
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.1 pts lower (6.8%)
Rent averages $108/mo less ($976 vs $1,084)
Homes cost $16k less ($159,300 vs $175,400)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
More college-educated — 27.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Killeen, TX
Pros
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.8)
Cons
Violent crime (527.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (10.9% vs 6.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
El Paso
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 91.8 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Violent Crime
47% lower
278.4 vs 527.6 per 100k
El Paso
Median Home Value
$16k less
$159,300 vs $175,400
El Paso
Unemployment
4.1 pp lower
6.8% vs 10.9% unemployment
Killeen
Median Income
$1,376
$57,086 vs $55,710/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Paso, TX | Killeen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper | 91.8 |
| Median Home Value | $159,300 ✓ Lower | $175,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $976 ✓ Lower | $1,084 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $55,710 | $57,086 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 23.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 | 66 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.1% ✓ Higher | 22.1% |
| High School or Higher | 81.5% | 91.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | EL PASO ISD | KILLEEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.6°F | 59.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer | 95.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3" ✓ Drier | 36.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 677,181 ✓ Larger | 153,708 |
| Median Age | 33.7 ✓ Older | 29.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 46.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% | 29.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.5% ✓ More | 7.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Paso's cost of living index is 90.2 vs Killeen's 91.8 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 17 of 23 categories. El Paso wins 17 and Killeen wins 6. 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 Killeen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($159,300 vs $175,400 median home), income ($55,710 vs $57,086), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Paso, TX and Killeen, TX are about 515 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.