Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Paso, TX
VS
Montgomery, AL
🏆 El Paso leads 15 of 23 categories
El Paso
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
Montgomery
Alabama
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8
Median Household Income
$54,166
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High
Population
199,819
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Paso, TX
Pros
53% less violent crime than Montgomery
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Smaller class sizes — 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Montgomery, AL
Pros
Homes cost $17k less ($141,900 vs $159,300)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
More college-educated — 33.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (594.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
El Paso
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 90.8 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Median Income
$1,544
$55,710 vs $54,166/yr
El Paso
Violent Crime
53% lower
278.4 vs 594.6 per 100k
Montgomery
Median Home Value
$17k less
$141,900 vs $159,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Paso, TX | Montgomery, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper | 90.8 |
| Median Home Value | $159,300 | $141,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $976 ✓ Lower | $1,026 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $55,710 ✓ Higher | $54,166 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min | 19.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% ✓ Higher | 6.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 ✓ Safer | 136⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 156⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 106⚠ High |
| 🎓 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 | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.1% | 33.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.5% | 87.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | EL PASO ISD | Montgomery County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.6°F | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer | 94.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3" ✓ Drier | 54.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.8" | 0.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 677,181 ✓ Larger | 199,819 |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 36.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 53.5% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 23.7% |
| Over 65 | 13.5% | 15.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Paso's cost of living index is 90.2 vs Montgomery's 90.8 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 15 of 23 categories. El Paso wins 15 and Montgomery 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 Montgomery or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($159,300 vs $141,900 median home), income ($55,710 vs $54,166), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Paso, TX and Montgomery, AL are about 1,179 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.