$100k salary, packing up from Durham

change
El Paso, TX cityscape

next stop after durham

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

in our guides

#8

of 10

Affordable cities for outdoor lovers

read the guide
#8

of 10

Best mid-sized US cities

read the guide
#2

of 10

Best affordable cities to retire

read the guide
#8

of 10

Best cities for retirees who love the outdoors

read the guide
#5

of 10

Best cities in states with no income tax

read the guide
#10

of 10

Best cities to leave Chicago for

read the guide
#5

of 10

Affordable alternatives to Austin

read the guide
#8

of 10

Best cities to leave Denver for

read the guide
#9

of 10

Best cities for a $200k salary

read the guide
#8

of 10

Best cities to buy a home

read the guide
#8

of 10

Best cities to leave Miami for

read the guide
#7

of 10

Best cities for snowbirds

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best cities to leave Portland for

read the guide
#6

of 10

Affordable alternatives to Miami

read the guide
#8

of 10

Best cities where buying beats renting

read the guide
#1

of 10

Best cities to live in Texas

read the guide
#5

of 10

Best cities to leave San Diego for

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best cities to leave Minneapolis for

read the guide
#9

of 10

Best cities for a $60k salary

read the guide

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$586

below Durham's monthly cost

The gap is real. El Paso costs noticeably less than Durham, every month.
landable, recorded on the el paso entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,473/mo

13% cheaper than Durham(vs $1,684/mo)

02state income tax

0%

$375/mo less in state tax than Durham

vs 4.5% in Durham

03after rent

$6,860/mo

$586 more than Durham

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

04a house here

$231k

44% cheaper than Durham

vs $415k in Durham

05metro size

872k

vs 609k in Durham

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

222

pleasant days a year, in el paso.

Durham only logs 178 pleasant days. Summer asks for something in return: 60 days top 95° here, 19 in Durham.

Things to do run about even with Durham.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

65/100

30% higher than Durham

vs 50/100 in Durham

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

·walk score®

93/100

16% higher than Durham

vs 80/100 in Durham

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

13

67% fewer than Durham

vs 39 nonstops in Durham

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