City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

El Paso, TX

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for El Paso - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

678,147
Residents
$58,734
Median income
$171,700
Median home
$1,191
Median rent (state)

El Paso - the verdict

El Paso ranks in the 33rd percentile for household income and the 37th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

33rd
percentile, household income
34th
percentile, home value
36th
percentile, median rent
37th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: El Paso, TX

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 678,147 residents in El Paso, a mid-sized U.S. city within Texas. The typical household in El Paso brings in $58,734 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 15.7%. Home values in El Paso run a median of $171,700, and the median resident age is 34.1 years. About 27.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 56.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 1,887 residential building permits were authorized in El Paso (Slowing), down 17% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. El Paso reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1772.4 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts El Paso's yearly average temperature at 66.2°F with 8.8 inches of precipitation per year and 2.8 inches of snowfall.

Texas tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Texas scores 97.1 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,191 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $223 across Texas, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 95.5 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

678,147 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Texas

Median Household Income

$58,734 /yr

Poverty 15.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

How does El Paso compare to other US cities?

Where El Paso sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 33% higher than other cities
Home value 34% pricier than other cities
Median rent 36% pricier than other cities
Safety 37% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Texas alone, El Paso ranks #414 of 624 Texas cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares El Paso against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Texas only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Texas-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher sits close to the middle of Texas's city distribution

Among the 1,663 Texas cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, El Paso ranks #440 - the 73rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares El Paso only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#885 of 1,520
42nd percentile in Texas
Median Gross Rent
#716 of 1,663
56th percentile in Texas
Median Home Value
#684 of 1,505
55th percentile in Texas
Poverty Rate
#474 of 1,663
71st percentile in Texas
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#440 of 1,663
73rd percentile in Texas

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Texas only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

33rdIncome percentile
37thSafety percentile

33rd percentile nationally for median household income · 37th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

El Paso's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

El Paso's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 45 Avg. percentile National median
El Paso's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How El Paso's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$171,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 66% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. El Paso $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - El Paso, TX El Paso, TX's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not El Paso, TX-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution El Paso, TX median $58,734/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
El Paso, TX's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for El Paso, TX. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
678,147
Median Income
$58,734
Median Home Value
$171,700
Median Age
34.1
Poverty Rate
15.7%
Labor force participation
56.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1772.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
278.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1494.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
66.2°F
Annual Precipitation
8.8"
Annual Snowfall
2.8"

Schools

Total Schools
219
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
675,000 residents680,000 residents685,000 residents690,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 679,296 residents 683,012 residents ▲ +0.5%
El Paso's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
1,887
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1,644
detached homes
Multifamily
243
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2,286
2020 1,762
2021 2,233
2022 1,968
2023 1,852
2024 1,887

Permit volume decreased 17% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.5%
Carpool
11.1%
Public Transit
1.0%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
7.8%
Other
2.5%

Based on 301,943 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Texas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$45
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$223
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Texas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Texas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county El Paso sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,191/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Texas

Fort Worth
941,311 people
Arlington
394,769 people
Austin
967,862 people
Corpus Christi
317,383 people
Plano
287,339 people
Lubbock
261,078 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to El Paso's 678,147 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Washington, DC
672,079 people
Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN
684,298 people
Oklahoma City, OK
688,693 people
Boston, MA
663,972 people
Las Vegas, NV
650,873 people
Portland, OR
642,715 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to El Paso's $58,734 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Springfield, TN
$58,741 median income
South Congaree, SC
$58,726 median income
Dodge City, AL
$58,750 median income
Emmet, AR
$58,750 median income
Horseshoe Lake, AR
$58,750 median income
Mechanicsville, CT
$58,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - El Paso, TX Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition El Paso, TX - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 39.3% 16.0% 38.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 81.3% White 39.3% Black or African American 3.6% Asian 1.4% American Indian 0.9% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 16.0% Two or more races 38.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How El Paso compares to nearby Texas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
El Paso (this city) 678,147 $58,734
Fort Worth 941,311 $76,602
Arlington 394,769 $73,519
Austin 967,862 $91,461
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TX FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about El Paso, TX?

What is the population of El Paso, TX? +

The population of El Paso, TX stands at 678,147 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in El Paso, TX? +

El Paso households earn a median of $58,734 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in El Paso? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for El Paso; the closest available measure is the Texas state average, a cost of living index of 97.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Texas vary by metro area.

Is El Paso, TX safe? +

El Paso has a total crime rate of 1772.4 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in El Paso, TX? +

El Paso's median home value sits at $171,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in El Paso? +

Climate normals put El Paso's yearly average temperature at 66.2°F, 8.8 inches of precipitation, and 2.8 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.