Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Paso, TX
VS
Orange, CA
🏆 Orange leads 13 of 23 categories
El Paso
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710
Violent Crime Index
73
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
Orange
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $689k less ($159,300 vs $848,200)
Rent averages $1172/mo less ($976 vs $2,148)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Smaller class sizes — 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Orange by $53,625/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 4.7%)
Orange, CA
Pros
Households earn $53,625 more per year on average
19% less violent crime than El Paso
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (4.7%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 96°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Higher rents — median is $2,148/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
$689k less
$159,300 vs $848,200
El Paso
Summer Heat
13.3°F warmer
July avg high 95.8°F vs 82.5°F
Orange
Median Income
$53,625
$109,335 vs $55,710/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
19% lower
226.1 vs 278.4 per 100k
Orange
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Paso, TX | Orange, 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 | $848,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $976 ✓ Lower | $2,148⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $55,710 | $109,335 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 26.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 14.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 | 60 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 | 60 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | B (98) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.1% | 40.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.5% | 88.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | EL PASO ISD | Orange Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.6°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3" ✓ Drier | 12.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 677,181 ✓ Larger | 138,728 |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 36.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 58.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 20.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.5% | 14.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Paso's cost of living index is 90.2 vs Orange's 115.5 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Orange leads 13 of 23 categories. El Paso wins 10 and Orange wins 13. 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 Orange or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($159,300 vs $848,200 median home), income ($55,710 vs $109,335), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Paso, TX and Orange, CA are about 677 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.