Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Paso, TX
VS
Riverside, CA
🏆 El Paso leads 16 of 23 categories
El Paso
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
Riverside
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,448 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
155⚠ High
Population
316,076
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $326k less ($159,300 vs $485,500)
Rent averages $735/mo less ($976 vs $1,711)
53% less violent crime than Riverside
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Riverside
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Cons
Median income trails Riverside by $27,738/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 6.1%)
Riverside, CA
Pros
Households earn $27,738 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (6.1%)
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 59°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $485,500
Higher rents — median is $1,711/mo
Violent crime (589.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 18% higher than El Paso
Key Differences at a Glance
El Paso
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Violent Crime
53% lower
278.4 vs 589.7 per 100k
El Paso
Median Home Value
$326k less
$159,300 vs $485,500
Riverside
Median Income
$27,738
$83,448 vs $55,710/yr
Riverside
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
6.1% vs 6.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Paso, TX | Riverside, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $159,300 ✓ Lower | $485,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $976 ✓ Lower | $1,711⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $55,710 | $83,448 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High | 6.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 31.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 8.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 ✓ Safer | 147⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 155⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.1% ✓ Higher | 24.4% |
| High School or Higher | 81.5% | 82.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | EL PASO ISD | Riverside Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.6°F | 69.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer | 95.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3" | 10.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 677,181 ✓ Larger | 316,076 |
| Median Age | 33.7 ✓ Older | 32.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 55.5% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 23.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.5% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Paso's cost of living index is 90.2 vs Riverside's 107.9 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 16 of 23 categories. El Paso wins 16 and Riverside wins 7. 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 Riverside or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($159,300 vs $485,500 median home), income ($55,710 vs $83,448), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Paso, TX and Riverside, CA are about 652 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.