El Paso, Texas

Sun City on the border

Southwest El Paso, TX Metro

SafeWise (2025)

#2 Safest Large Cities

U.S. News (2025)

#62 Best Places to Live

WhereAtHome Score

79

C+

out of 100

Overview

El Paso is one of America's safest large cities despite its border location. The city offers extremely affordable housing, over 300 days of sunshine, and strong military employment from Fort Bliss. Its unique position creates a binational culture with Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.

Key Highlights

  • One of the safest large cities in America
  • Very low cost of living
  • Fort Bliss military installation
  • Over 300 sunny days annually
  • Unique binational border culture
  • No state income tax

Key Metrics

Population 2024

682,669

Source: Census ACS

$237,796

Source: Zillow ZHVI

$50,246

Source: Census ACS

23.1 min

Source: Census ACS

Walk Score 2025

40

Source: Walk Score

Low

Source: FBI CDE

School Rating

2025

C+ (5.5/10)

Source: Curated

85 (100 = U.S. avg)

Source: Curated

2024 Presidential Election

El Paso County (county-level results)

57%
42%
Democrat 143,156
Republican 105,124
Leans D+15.1

Source: County-level results from MIT Election Data + Science Lab. Learn more

Climate

Summer High

96°F

Winter Low

33°F

Annual Rainfall

9"

Sunny Days

302

Amenities & Infrastructure

98+ Parks

Green spaces and recreation

5 Major Hospitals

Healthcare access

2 Universities

Higher education institutions

Public Transit Available

Bus, rail, or metro service

Major Employers

Fort Bliss UTEP El Paso ISD Las Palmas Medical Center

Score Breakdown

6 of 6 score factors available. Missing factors are excluded and available weights are rescaled.

Housing Affordability 86.4/100

Median home value relative to national average (Weight: 20%)

Income vs Housing 58.2/100

How affordable housing is relative to local incomes (Weight: 20%)

Commute Time 63.5/100

Average commute time compared to national average (Weight: 15%)

Crime 80/100

Overall crime levels based on FBI crime statistics (Weight: 20%)

Walkability 40/100

Walk Score — ease of daily errands on foot (Weight: 15%)

Purchasing Power 45.6/100

Median income relative to national average, adjusted for cost of living (Weight: 10%)

WhereAtHome Score 79

Location

El Paso, TX (31.7619, -106.4850)
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Last Updated: 2026-07-01

Data sourced from U.S. Census Bureau, Zillow, FBI Crime Data Explorer, Walk Score, and Niche.

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