Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Paso, TX
VS
Santa Monica, CA
🏆 El Paso leads 13 of 23 categories
El Paso
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
Santa Monica
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,797 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
205⚠ High
Population
92,168
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $1496k less ($159,300 vs $1,654,800)
Rent averages $1251/mo less ($976 vs $2,227)
64% less violent crime than Santa Monica
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Monica
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Smaller class sizes — 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Monica by $51,087/yr
Santa Monica, CA
Pros
Households earn $51,087 more per year on average
More college-educated — 67.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 69°F vs 96°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (6.2%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,654,800
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than El Paso
Violent crime (778.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
El Paso
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Violent Crime
64% lower
278.4 vs 778.0 per 100k
El Paso
Median Home Value
$1496k less
$159,300 vs $1,654,800
El Paso
Summer Heat
26.4°F warmer
July avg high 95.8°F vs 69.4°F
Santa Monica
Median Income
$51,087
$106,797 vs $55,710/yr
Santa Monica
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
6.2% vs 6.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Paso, TX | Santa Monica, 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 | $1,654,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $976 ✓ Lower | $2,227⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $55,710 | $106,797 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High | 6.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 25.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 27.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 ✓ Safer | 214⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 205⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 228⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | A- (114) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.1% | 67.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.5% | 94.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | EL PASO ISD | Santa Monica-Malibu Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.6°F | 62.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer | 69.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3" ✓ Drier | 12.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 677,181 ✓ Larger | 92,168 |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 42.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 28.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 15.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.5% | 18.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Paso's cost of living index is 90.2 vs Santa Monica's 115.5 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 13 of 23 categories. El Paso wins 13 and Santa Monica wins 10. 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 Monica or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($159,300 vs $1,654,800 median home), income ($55,710 vs $106,797), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Paso, TX and Santa Monica, CA are about 715 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.