same $100k income, fresh start from San Jose

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El Paso, TX cityscape

from san jose

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

$2,772

under San Jose, every month

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

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,473/mo

58% cheaper than San Jose(vs $3,470/mo)

02state income tax

0%

$775/mo less in state tax than San Jose

vs 9.3% in San Jose

03after rent

$6,860/mo

$2,772 more than San Jose

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

04a house here

$231k

87% cheaper than San Jose

vs $1796k in San Jose

05metro size

872k

vs 1.9M in San Jose

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

222

pleasant days a year, in el paso.

San Jose edges ahead with 283 pleasant days. Summer asks for something in return: 60 days top 95° here, 19 in San Jose.

But the calendar thins out: San Jose stays 2.1× busier.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

65/100

7% lower than San Jose

vs 70/100 in San Jose

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

·walk score®

93/100

2% lower than San Jose

vs 95/100 in San Jose

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

13

55% fewer than San Jose

vs 29 nonstops in San Jose

04 · see also

if el paso appeals, also worth a look:

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