Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Paso, TX
VS
Richardson, TX
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
El Paso
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710
Violent Crime Index
73
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
Richardson
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,362 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
118,063
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $221k less ($159,300 vs $379,800)
Rent averages $749/mo less ($976 vs $1,725)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Richardson
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Cons
Median income trails Richardson by $38,652/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 5.0%)
Richardson, TX
Pros
Households earn $38,652 more per year on average
47% less violent crime than El Paso
More college-educated — 55.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (146.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (5.0%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $379,800
Higher rents — median is $1,725/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than El Paso
Key Differences at a Glance
El Paso
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Median Home Value
$221k less
$159,300 vs $379,800
Richardson
Median Income
$38,652
$94,362 vs $55,710/yr
Richardson
Violent Crime
47% lower
146.7 vs 278.4 per 100k
Richardson
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
5.0% vs 6.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Paso, TX | Richardson, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $159,300 ✓ Lower | $379,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $976 ✓ Lower | $1,725⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $55,710 | $94,362 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min | 23.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 19.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 | 58 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 87 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | A+ (133) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 | 13.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.1% | 55.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.5% | 92.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | EL PASO ISD | RICHARDSON ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.6°F ✓ Warmer | 55.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer | 94.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3" ✓ Drier | 40.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.8" | 1.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 677,181 ✓ Larger | 118,063 |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 34.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 51.6% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 21.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.5% ✓ More | 12.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Paso's cost of living index is 90.2 vs Richardson's 103.3 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. El Paso wins 11 and Richardson wins 11. 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 Richardson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($159,300 vs $379,800 median home), income ($55,710 vs $94,362), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Paso, TX and Richardson, TX are about 572 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.