Relocation profile · Federal data
El Paso, TX
LiveAbility 42.1/100 places El Paso #309 of 387 (bottom third of scored metros).
- 89.9
- Cost index (US=100)
- $1,191
- 2BR rent / mo
- $57,810
- Median salary
- 42.1
- LiveAbility Score
The verdict
As of June 2026, El Paso ranks #309 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (42.1/100), with its strongest marks in cost of living and housing.
- #309
- of 387 US metros · Below median
- 31,290,831
- metro-area population
- 395
- violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
- 9,061
- schools in the state (NCES)
Weakest dimension: air quality (2/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.
According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), El Paso ranks #309 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 89.9 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,191/mo, median salary $57,810; LiveAbility Score 42.1/100, strongest in cost of living and housing.
Signature: LiveAbility 42.1/100 places El Paso #309 of 387 (bottom third of scored metros).
Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP 89.9 lands in the cheaper third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $1,191/mo.
LiveAbility 42.1/100 puts El Paso in the bottom third (#309 of 387).
BLS OEWS total employment in the El Paso area is 331,390.
El Paso vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score
Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)
42 Top 80% higher than 20% of 387 US metros
Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026
El Paso housing and rent
HUD Fair Market Rents for the El Paso MSA; housing RPP 71.2 (100 = national average); 2BR $1,191/mo.
El Paso wages and employment
El Paso posts 331,390 total employment with median salary $57,810 against a cheaper-than-average RPP.
Top Occupations by Employment
| Occupation | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $23,200 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $23,030 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,640 |
| Retail Salespersons | $27,330 |
| General and Operations Managers | $77,770 |
Schools & Education
State-level education data for the El Paso area from NCES.
Childcare Costs
State-average childcare costs for the El Paso area (DOL data).
Life Score Breakdown
El Paso's composite Life Score is 52.5/100 (D), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.
LiveAbility Score
View full rankings →El Paso ranks #309 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 42.1/100 - a composite of 8 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data. Customize the weights to match your priorities →
El Paso - dimension scores
Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)
- Cost of living
Cost of living
75 /100
- Housing
Housing
65 /100
- Schools
Schools
62 /100
- Climate
Climate
61 /100
- Safety
Safety
33 /100
- Job market 13
Job market
13 /100
- Low hazard 4
Low hazard
4 /100
- Air quality 2
Air quality
2 /100
What this shows El Paso's strongest dimensions are cost of living and housing; its weakest among scored dims is air quality at 2/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%.
Compare El Paso to
Metros near El Paso on cost, LiveAbility, or wages
Nearest out-of-state neighbors to El Paso on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.
Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026
El Paso cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; El Paso wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.
Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →
Thinking about El Paso?
El Paso runs a $57,810 median salary at a 89.9 cost index, ranking #309 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.
- See exactly what El Paso's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
- Put El Paso head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare El Paso
- Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
- A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide
Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.