on $100k a year, leaving Austin

change
El Paso, TX cityscape

instead of austin

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.

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$110

below Austin's monthly cost

Cost barely budges between El Paso and Austin. Pick this one for the texture of the days, not the math.
landable, recorded on the el paso entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,473/mo

7% cheaper than Austin(vs $1,583/mo)

02state income tax

0%

vs 0% in Austin

03after rent

$6,860/mo

$110 more than Austin

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

04a house here

$231k

47% cheaper than Austin

vs $433k in Austin

05metro size

872k

vs 2.5M in Austin

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

222

pleasant days a year, in el paso.

Austin only logs 170 pleasant days.

Noticeably quieter than Austin. About 75% fewer events on a typical month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

65/100

16% higher than Austin

vs 56/100 in Austin

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

·walk score®

93/100

6% lower than Austin

vs 99/100 in Austin

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

13

69% fewer than Austin

vs 42 nonstops in Austin

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as el paso:

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