El Paso vs Montgomery
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $161,900 in Montgomery and $184,500 in El Paso.
- El Paso has more scorching days: 117 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 93.
- El Paso is growing faster: +0.6% since 2020 vs -2.6%.
- Texas has no state income tax on wages; Alabama's top rate is 5%.
Side by side
| El Paso, TX | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 683,012 | 195,300 |
| Growth since 2020 | +0.6% | -2.6% |
| People per square mile | 2,639 | 1,222 |
| Median age | 34.5 | 36.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28% | 34% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $59,745 | $56,811 |
| Median home value | $184,500 | $161,900 |
| Home value to income | 3.1× | 2.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,073 | $1,089 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 89.9 | 89.7 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 71.2 | 64.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $67,400 | $67,300 |
| Homeowners | 61% | 54% |
| Top state income tax | None | 5% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.2% | 9.46% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 23.4 | 20.7 |
| Work from home | 9% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6% | 6.4% |
| Poverty rate | 18.4% | 21.5% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 59° / 35° | 60° / 37° |
| July high / low | 96° / 73° | 94° / 72° |
| Precipitation per year | 9 in | 51 in |
| Snowfall per year | 3 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 117 | 93 |
| Nights below freezing | 42 | 37 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 95.5 | 91.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 18% | 64% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.2% | +6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +48% | +41% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: El Paso: March to April and October to November. Montgomery: April to May and October to November.
Full monthly tables: El Paso weather by month and Montgomery weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $67,400 in El Paso and $67,300 in Montgomery. Moving from El Paso to Montgomery, you would need about $74,800 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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