$100k a year, no longer in Atlanta

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El Paso, TX cityscape

next stop after atlanta

El Paso

tx · metro 872k

photo: Gene Maysonet / pexels

a dispatch from

el paso

TX

31.76°N

106.49°W

El Paso has the Franklin Mountains running right through the middle of the city (which is rare), with hiking trails inside city limits and the desert wide open just past the suburbs. The Mexican food is exceptional in ways that the rest of Texas doesn't quite match (it's true regional border food). Ciudad Juarez is literally next door across the Rio Grande. The light at sunset is unreal.

metro872k

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$798

under Atlanta, every month

El Paso is the easier version of your monthly budget. Lower rent, lighter monthly outlay.
landable, recorded on the el paso entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,473/mo

19% cheaper than Atlanta(vs $1,814/mo)

02state income tax

0%

$457/mo less in state tax than Atlanta

vs 5.49% in Atlanta

03after rent

$6,860/mo

$798 more than Atlanta

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$231k

40% cheaper than Atlanta

vs $386k in Atlanta

05metro size

872k

vs 6.3M in Atlanta

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

222

pleasant days a year, in el paso.

Atlanta only manages 204 of those. The trade is summer: 60 days above 95°, vs 2 in Atlanta.

87% fewer events than Atlanta. The pace eases up.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

65/100

3% lower than Atlanta

vs 67/100 in Atlanta

Closest outdoor draw: White Sands National Park, 72.1 mi.

·walk score®

93/100

0% lower than Atlanta

vs 93/100 in Atlanta

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

13

94% fewer than Atlanta

vs 217 nonstops in Atlanta

04 · see also

neighbors of el paso on the map of tradeoffs:

see also

roanoke

more things to do

turn the page

see also

lexington

more things to do

turn the page

see also

huntsville

more things to do

turn the page

compare el paso with:

RoanokeLexingtonHuntsville