$100k salary, packing up from Salisbury

change
El Paso, TX cityscape

instead of salisbury

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

$1,109

less monthly outlay than Salisbury

El Paso runs on a fraction of Salisbury's budget. Same paycheck, real lifestyle upgrade.
landable, recorded on the el paso entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,473/mo

22% cheaper than Salisbury(vs $1,899/mo)

02state income tax

0%

$683/mo less in state tax than Salisbury

vs 8.2% in Salisbury

03after rent

$6,860/mo

$1,109 more than Salisbury

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

04a house here

$231k

45% cheaper than Salisbury

vs $420k in Salisbury

05metro size

872k

vs 130k in Salisbury

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

222

pleasant days a year, in el paso.

Salisbury only manages 189 of those. Bring the AC. 60 days a year clear 95°, well past Salisbury's 3.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 2.5× more on the calendar than Salisbury.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

65/100

23% higher than Salisbury

vs 53/100 in Salisbury

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

·walk score®

93/100

13% higher than Salisbury

vs 82/100 in Salisbury

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

13

550% more than Salisbury

vs 2 nonstops in Salisbury

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