El Monte vs Sparks: Cost of Living (2026)

A side-by-side comparison of El Monte, CA and Sparks, NV, using US Census Bureau data.

MetricEl Monte, CASparks, NV
Population108,682108,025
Median household income$59,929$82,938
Median home value$597,200$423,500
Median rent (/mo)$1,605$1,526

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

Comparing El Monte, CA and Sparks, NV comes down to what you value most. Sparks has the lower median home value, and Sparks has the lower median rent.

Sparks 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 Monte or Sparks?
By median home value, Sparks is the cheaper of the two ($423,500 vs $597,200). Rent and income differ too — see the full comparison above.
Which has higher salaries, El Monte or Sparks?
Median household income is $59,929 in El Monte versus $82,938 in Sparks, per the US Census Bureau.

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