$100k a year, no longer in Phoenix

change
El Paso, TX cityscape

instead of phoenix

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

$474

under Phoenix, 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

15% cheaper than Phoenix(vs $1,739/mo)

02state income tax

0%

$208/mo less in state tax than Phoenix

vs 2.5% in Phoenix

03after rent

$6,860/mo

$474 more than Phoenix

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

04a house here

$231k

50% cheaper than Phoenix

vs $458k in Phoenix

05metro size

872k

vs 5.1M in Phoenix

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

222

pleasant days a year, in el paso.

Phoenix only logs 181 pleasant days.

But the calendar thins out: Phoenix stays 6.6× busier.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

65/100

2% lower than Phoenix

vs 66/100 in Phoenix

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

·walk score®

93/100

4% lower than Phoenix

vs 97/100 in Phoenix

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

13

86% fewer than Phoenix

vs 91 nonstops in Phoenix

04 · see also

same energy as el paso, different zip code:

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