El Paso vs Odessa
El Paso, Texas versus Odessa, Texas: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
El Paso edges out Odessa on overall objective livability (56 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | El Paso | Odessa |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $56k | $71k |
| Cost of Living | $41k | $52k |
| Home Value | $159k | $194k |
| Monthly Rent | $976 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.17% | 1.34% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.20% | 8.20% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.92% | 6.34% |
| Unemployment | 6.8% | 6.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 46°F | 45°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 84°F | 84°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 8.8 in | 12.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.8 in | 0.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 332 days | 301 days |
| Summer Humidity | 50°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 80 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 32.9 | 38.5 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 38 AQI |
| School Quality | 51.9 | 34.3 |
| Violent Crime | 1459/100k | 2704/100k |
| Property Crime | 1389/100k | 2071/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 677,181 | 113,353 |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 30.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.64 | 0.60 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 1.03 |
| Political Leaning | D+36 | R+48 |
| White (%) | 12.0% | 28.5% |
| Black (%) | 3.1% | 6.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 81.6% | 62.0% |
| Asian (%) | 1.3% | 1.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.0% | 1.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 11.9/20 | 8.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 2 mi | 237 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.2% | 86.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 3.78 | 15.44 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is El Paso or Odessa more affordable?
- El Paso has the lower cost of living: its index is $41k, compared with El Paso's $41k and Odessa's $52k. Median rent is $976 in El Paso versus $1k in Odessa.
- Is El Paso or Odessa safer?
- El Paso has the lower violent crime rate. El Paso reports 1459/100k and Odessa reports 2704/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in El Paso or Odessa?
- The median home value is $159k in El Paso and $194k in Odessa, so homes are more affordable in El Paso.