El Paso is home to thousands of residents who proudly call the city “Chuco Town.” Whether you grew up here or moved to El Paso for college, all I can say is that you can feel all the love in El Paso.
El Paso is an affordable city. That, in itself, is a significant reason why you should move here. However, aside from the lower cost of living, what in El Paso should convince you to move?
Another reason is the versatility you will find in the city in terms of activities. You have a variety of options for activities.
Whether it is hiking, scenic views, or natural attractions that you are after, El Paso has it. Besides, the city also has a wide array of entertainment options that you can check out.
Now, are you moving to El Paso?
Let’s see.
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Is El Paso, TX, a good place to live in? A Slow-Paced and Laidback City in Texas
Now, it seems like you want to move to El Paso. That should be evident since you want to learn more about the metro.
The city has tons of things to offer to its populace and those who plan to move here. For instance, the slow-paced and laid-back lifestyle is attractive to many people. Aside from this, there are several other advantages of moving here.
Although the city provides benefits, you should know that it also has drawbacks.
Fret not.
Because here, I will discuss more of these things.
But overall, El Paso is a fantastic place to live, in my opinion.
Here are the reasons why.
The Good Side
Of course, we start with the good things you should expect when you move to El Paso.
Here are a few of them.
An Affordable Cost of Living
One of the significant advantages of living in El Paso is its affordable cost of living.
The cost of living in the city is lower than the national average. And that is evident, especially when it comes to housing and healthcare costs.
El Paso is a city where you will see your dollar stretch. The affordable cost of living will leave you with more than enough money to enjoy and have a more comfortable lifestyle.
We will discuss the cost of living in detail in a bit.
A Weather to Die For
Let me tell you that the weather here can sometimes be too hot. However, these hot spells are not regular.
Also, just because the city has hot weather on certain occasions does not mean everything is wrong. Here, you will find that the temperatures can also be friendly to those who love the cold.
It is because, during spring and fall, the weather can be perfect. It is not too hot. It is not too cold either.
You see, outside the heat issue I talked about earlier, there is nothing you should worry about in El Paso. The weather conditions here are as perfect as you want them to be.
You will have more than 300 days of sunshine every year. And you do not need to worry about pesky snow. You don’t even have to worry about too much rain, either.
The Great Outdoor Activities
Now, because you will see more than 300 days of sunshine annually, let’s put that to good use.
With all the sunshine you get in a year, it would be a mortal sin not to enjoy the many outdoor activities available for you.
For example, you can head over to the beautiful Franklin Mountains. Here, you can rock climb. You can also choose to cycle on one of the biking trails available. Or you can choose to go for a scenic hike.
If you love the outdoors, you will undoubtedly love it in El Paso.
A Stellar Education System
Let us start with the number of schools that ranked high regarding quality.
If you are a parent with children who want to move to El Paso, know that the public school system in the city is excellent.
Education is an important aspect when it comes to raising a family. There are many reputable schools in the city where you can send your children. And so, in moving to El Paso, you need not worry.
Here, you can rest assured that your kids will get the best quality of education from the top-quality instructors the city can offer.
Low Crime Rates
Overall, El Paso is a quiet and secure city.
El Paso is, in fact, the third safest large city in the country.
Also, the crime rates here are lower than the national average. The city is a great place to live based on these statistics.
Your safety, as well as your family’s safety, is of utmost concern.
In El Paso, you get the assurance of being away from crimes and other types of danger.
The Bad Side
Now, from the good things, let us proceed to the things that should worry you.
These are those that are not extremely bad. However, these factors are those you need to take into account before you decide to move here.
A Remote Location
One of the things you should know is that El Paso is an introvert.
What I mean by this is that the city is a bit isolated.
Any major city accessible by day trip is several hours away from El Paso.
For example, San Antonio is about six hours away from El Paso. Dollar and Fort Worth are even further away from San Antonio.
So, yes. You might want to think twice or reconsider if you are into little getaways or day trips.
But if you are the type who would be happy staying in El Paso for many months, I am sure you will be happy here.
It’s Getting Hot in Here!
I mentioned earlier about the heat in El Paso.
Now, we are going to talk about it.
And when I say that the city can get too hot, I mean it in the most literal way. Once in a while, the weather here can be too hot for you even to go outside.
Such heat can happen from May until September. I am not saying that this happens every day. However, please take note that it is a concern that can occur without any warning.
On hot days, you must be strategic about running your errands.
You can perhaps leave your homes early in the morning. Or you can do your errands late in the afternoon or early evenings.
Never leave your home in the middle of the day when the temperatures can get too hot. Otherwise, you will have a heat stroke and spend the next few days at the hospital.
What is the cost of living in El Paso, TX? Cheaper than the Average
El Paso is an affordable city. When you compare the city with the national average, you will realize that the cost of living here is cheaper. It is more affordable by about 18.6% than the national average.
The Good Side
Let us start with housing costs.
For starters, the cost of housing is an essential factor to consider. And in El Paso, you will find that housing costs are way cheaper than you can imagine.
The cost of housing is 43.5% cheaper in El Paso than the national average.
El Paso is still more affordable when you put the costs besides the standard of Texas. It means that El Paso beats most cities in Texas and the rest of the US regarding housing costs.
In El Paso, the median price of a home is US$162,100. This amount is lower compared to the national average of US$291,700.
Also, another aspect that you have to consider is the cost of food and groceries.
In El Paso, the cost of food and groceries are cheaper by 8% than the national average. The cost of healthcare is also more affordable than the national average by 13.3%.
Finally, the cost of transportation is also cheaper in El Paso.
As of this writing, transportation costs are cheaper by 8.1% in El Paso than the national average.
The Bad Side
This aspect of the budget is not necessarily a disadvantage.
However, the commodity has been showing an upward trend over the past few years. It is something that you, as a potential resident, should observe.
El Paso’s utilities cost is 2.9% cheaper than the national average.
While lower than most cities in America, your monthly cost will depend on your consumption.
The city’s utility costs and the national average are insignificant. And so, a slight increase in your electrical or internet consumption can upend your budget.
So, if I were you, I would be careful.
Why work in El Paso, TX? A Growing Job Market
One of the benefits of working in El Paso is the cost of living.
As you already know by now, the cost of living here is lower than the national average. That is especially true regarding housing, healthcare, transportation, and food costs.
With a lower cost of living, you get the assurance that every dollar can go a long way.
Together with this, I will discuss why working in El Paso is also an advantage.
The Good Side
Let us start with the good things. These are the reasons why working in El Paso, TX, is something you should consider.
Affordable
Let me reiterate how affordable El Paso is.
I should say that your dollar is getting all its worth in El Paso. If you aim for an inexpensive way of living, El Paso is the perfect place for you to find work.
Renting a place or buying a property is more affordable than in other cities. The real estate prices in El Paso are significantly lower than in the rest of Texas.
Equally important, the cost of groceries, transportation, and healthcare are also lower than the Texas and US national average.
I can go on and list the advantages of working in El Paso. However, the lower cost of living should undoubtedly be on top of the list. It is always the advantage that stands out, whoever you may ask.
A Positive Job Growth
The unemployment rate in El Paso is at 7.4%. This rating is greater than the 6% national average.
And while you should be sad about this, the positive side is that the job market grew in the last year.
The previous year, the job market saw growth of about 1.9%. That means the recent year saw more jobs than the previous ones. The development may be insignificant compared to other cities.
However, it is a good start.
Also, I should note that the projected job growth in the next ten years is 35.9%. The projected growth is higher than the projections for the national job market, which is at 33.5%.
Taxes No More!
Another advantage of working in El Paso (and the rest of Texas) is the absence of income taxes.
The state does not collect income taxes from its workers.
And since El Paso is in Texas, we see the same trend when it comes to income taxes.
The Bad Side
Naturally, there will be a few things you must know before you move to El Paso.
Here are a couple of things to consider.
Lower Wages
One thing you need to know about when working in El Paso is the salary grade. Is it enough for you to live a comfortable lifestyle?
This question is something you can answer.
The average income of somebody working in El Paso is US$20,050 annually. This sum is less than the US average annual income of US$28,555.
We also see the same story regarding the median household income.
The median household income in El Paso is US$42,000 per year. This amount is again lower than the national average of US$53,482 per year.
Job Opportunities – Limited
I mentioned that the job market grew by 1.9% in the past year.
But let me clarify that while it grew by almost 2%, there may be limitations in the types of jobs available.
The city is geographically located next to the border. What does this mean for you?
It means that abundant jobs are related to customs and border protection.
Before moving to El Paso, you must understand the jobs available here. Compare that with the skill sets that you have. And ask yourself, are these the jobs I can imagine myself doing for many years?
If you have hesitations, you might want to think twice before moving.
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El Paso has a lower cost of living. That alone is a significant advantage to those planning to move here.
However, you can also consider other factors before saying yes to that move.
Is this a city where I can find a job? Am I the kind of person who loves day trips to nearby towns?
If these things are not even concerns for you, then I should say that El Paso is a perfect place.
Will you move to El Paso?
Let me know if you do.