El Paso, TX Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for El Paso, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in El Paso →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Population in El Paso, Texas runs approximately 677,181. Median household income sits at $55,710, landing below the benchmark median we track across cities (-23%).
For renters and buyers alike, El Paso offers a median home value of $159,300 (below the tracked median, -51%) and median rent of $976 monthly. Local property taxes and current mortgage rates will shape the real cost of buying.
With home values running about 2.9× median income, El Paso lands on the affordable side of the housing-cost spectrum. Year-over-year, home values around El Paso are up 2.85%, a pace in line with a healthy, unremarkable market. El Paso carries a Relatively High hazard rating from FEMA — elevated risk that's typically reflected in higher insurance premiums.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $976/mo in El Paso would take 21.0% of your income.
$417/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($159,300) would take 18.3% of your income toward principal & interest.
$449/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in El Paso
Median home value is $159,300 and median gross rent is $976/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for El Paso rose 2.85% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,191/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates El Paso's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
El Paso reported a violent crime rate of 288.3 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to El Paso
Planning a move to El Paso? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in El Paso, TX?
- In El Paso, the median home value is $159,300 and median rent is $976 per month, against a median household income of $55,710. These figures come from the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in El Paso?
- El Paso's median rent of $976/month works out to roughly $39,040 in annual income needed, if you're budgeting the standard 30% of gross pay toward rent. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for El Paso.
- Is it better to rent or buy in El Paso?
- El Paso's median rent of $976/month translates to about $39,040 a year needed to rent comfortably, versus roughly $36,447 a year for principal and interest on the $159,300 median home (20% down, 30-year fixed, today's rates). How long you'll stay is usually the deciding factor.
- Is El Paso safe?
- Per FBI Crime Data Explorer figures, El Paso's violent crime rate was 288.3 per 100,000 residents in 2025.
See the full salary breakdown for El Paso →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of El Paso's.