El Cajon vs Concord: Cost of Living (2026)

A side-by-side comparison of El Cajon, CA and Concord, NC, using US Census Bureau data.

MetricEl Cajon, CAConcord, NC
Population105,721105,335
Median household income$64,128$83,480
Median home value$593,500$288,100
Median rent (/mo)$1,686$1,259

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Highlighted cell = more affordable / higher income.

Comparing El Cajon, CA and Concord, NC comes down to what you value most. Concord has the lower median home value, and Concord has the lower median rent.

Concord has the higher median household income, which affects how far a paycheck stretches against local housing costs. The table below breaks down the key numbers side by side, all sourced from the US Census Bureau.

Frequently asked questions

Is it cheaper to live in El Cajon or Concord?
By median home value, Concord is the cheaper of the two ($288,100 vs $593,500). Rent and income differ too — see the full comparison above.
Which has higher salaries, El Cajon or Concord?
Median household income is $64,128 in El Cajon versus $83,480 in Concord, per the US Census Bureau.

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