Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Paso, TX
VS
Los Angeles, CA
🏆 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
Los Angeles
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,244 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
192⚠ High
Population
3,881,041 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $663k less ($159,300 vs $822,600)
Rent averages $815/mo less ($976 vs $1,791)
62% less violent crime than Los Angeles
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Los Angeles
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (6.8%)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Los Angeles by $20,534/yr
Los Angeles, CA
Pros
Households earn $20,534 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 78°F vs 96°F
More college-educated — 36.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 59°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $822,600
Higher rents — median is $1,791/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than El Paso
Violent crime (728.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
El Paso
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Violent Crime
62% lower
278.4 vs 728.5 per 100k
El Paso
Median Home Value
$663k less
$159,300 vs $822,600
El Paso
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
6.8% vs 7.7% unemployment
El Paso
Summer Heat
17.8°F warmer
July avg high 95.8°F vs 78.0°F
Los Angeles
Median Income
$20,534
$76,244 vs $55,710/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Paso, TX | Los Angeles, 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 | $822,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $976 ✓ Lower | $1,791⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $55,710 | $76,244 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 31.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 15.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 192⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 | 71 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.1% | 36.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.5% ✓ Higher | 78.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | EL PASO ISD | Los Angeles Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.6°F | 66.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer | 78.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3" ✓ Drier | 14.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 677,181 | 3,881,041 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 36.6% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 19.7% |
| Over 65 | 13.5% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Paso's cost of living index is 90.2 vs Los Angeles's 115.5 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 15 of 23 categories. El Paso wins 15 and Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($159,300 vs $822,600 median home), income ($55,710 vs $76,244), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Paso, TX and Los Angeles, CA are about 710 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.