on $100k a year, leaving Seattle

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El Paso, TX cityscape

from seattle

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

$720

lighter monthly cost than Seattle

El Paso gives you room Seattle doesn't. Same gross salary, lower monthly cost of living.
landable, recorded on the el paso entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,473/mo

33% cheaper than Seattle(vs $2,193/mo)

02state income tax

0%

vs 0% in Seattle

03after rent

$6,860/mo

$720 more than Seattle

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

04a house here

$231k

71% cheaper than Seattle

vs $791k in Seattle

05metro size

872k

vs 4.0M in Seattle

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

222

pleasant days a year, in el paso.

Seattle only logs 182 pleasant days. Summer asks for something in return: 60 days top 95° here, 0 in Seattle.

Lighter on events: Seattle packs 8.5× more into a month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

65/100

30% lower than Seattle

vs 93/100 in Seattle

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

·walk score®

93/100

5% lower than Seattle

vs 98/100 in Seattle

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

13

86% fewer than Seattle

vs 90 nonstops in Seattle

04 · see also

cities that play in el paso's register:

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