Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Paso, TX
VS
Santa Clara, CA
🏆 El Paso leads 12 of 23 categories
El Paso
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710
Violent Crime Index
73
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
Santa Clara
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$165,352 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48 ✓ Safer
Population
128,058
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $1281k less ($159,300 vs $1,440,200)
Rent averages $1865/mo less ($976 vs $2,841)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Clara
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Smaller class sizes — 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clara by $109,642/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 4.2%)
Santa Clara, CA
Pros
Households earn $109,642 more per year on average
35% less violent crime than El Paso
More college-educated — 64.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (4.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (182.0 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 96°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,440,200
Higher rents — median is $2,841/mo
Cost of living runs 23% higher than El Paso
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.9)
Key Differences at a Glance
El Paso
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Median Home Value
$1281k less
$159,300 vs $1,440,200
El Paso
Summer Heat
15.0°F warmer
July avg high 95.8°F vs 80.8°F
Santa Clara
Median Income
$109,642
$165,352 vs $55,710/yr
Santa Clara
Violent Crime
35% lower
182.0 vs 278.4 per 100k
Santa Clara
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
4.2% vs 6.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Paso, TX | Santa Clara, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper | 112.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $159,300 ✓ Lower | $1,440,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $976 ✓ Lower | $2,841⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $55,710 | $165,352 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 21.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 ✓ Safer | 76 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 119⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | A- (110) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.1% | 64.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.5% | 94.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | EL PASO ISD | Santa Clara Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.6°F | 59.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer | 80.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3" ✓ Drier | 15.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 677,181 ✓ Larger | 128,058 |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 34.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 41.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 18.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.5% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Paso's cost of living index is 90.2 vs Santa Clara's 112.9 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 12 of 23 categories. El Paso wins 12 and Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($159,300 vs $1,440,200 median home), income ($55,710 vs $165,352), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Paso, TX and Santa Clara, CA are about 961 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.