Columbia or El Paso: which is better?

US metro area: head-to-head comparison

Columbia
Columbia, SC
4
indicators ahead
El Paso
El Paso, TX
4
indicators ahead

Columbia and El Paso are even: 4 : 4 across 11 indicators.

  • Money: El Paso 1:3
  • Climate and risks: Columbia 3:1

All indicators weigh the same. This is a score based on data, not advice on where to live: different people have different circumstances.

Columbia
El Paso

Money

Better: El Paso (1 : 3)
Per capita income
higher is better
✓$61,458
202425% higher
✗$49,273
202420% lower
Typical rent
lower is better
✗$1,557
2026-09-302% higher
✓$1,521
2026-09-302% lower
Typical home value
lower is better
✗$252,979
2026-09-309% higher
✓$233,011
2026-09-308% lower
Price level
lower is better
✗93.7 100 = US average
20244% higher
✓89.9 100 = US average
20244% lower

Climate and risks

Better: Columbia (3 : 1)
Air: median AQI
lower is better
✓47 AQI
202430% lower
✗67 AQI
202443% higher
Days with unhealthy air
lower is better
✓1 days per year
202498% lower
✗63 days per year
20246200% higher
Hot days (max ≥ +30 °C)
lower is better
✓147 days per year
2016-202511% lower
✗165 days per year
2016-202512% higher
Frost days (min ≤ −10 °C)
tie
0 days per year
2016-2025
0 days per year
2016-2025
Severe frost (min ≤ −20 °C)
tie
0.0 days per year
2016-2025
0.0 days per year
2016-2025
Ice days (max ≤ 0 °C)
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
0 days per year
2016-2025
0 days per year
2016-2025
Heating degree days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
960 °C·days per year
2016-2025
1,014 °C·days per year
2016-2025
Cooling degree days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
1,593 °C·days per year
2016-2025
1,767 °C·days per year
2016-2025
Rainy days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
94 days per year
2016-2025
28 days per year
2016-2025
Snowfall days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
0 days per year
2016-2025
1 days per year
2016-2025
Annual precipitation
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
1,247 mm per year
2016-2025
206 mm per year
2016-2025
Daylight on December 21
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
9.9 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
10.1 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
Daylight on June 21
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
14.4 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
14.2 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
Air humidity
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
69 %
2021-2025
32 %
2021-2025
Muggy days (dew point ≥ +20 °C)
lower is better
✗88 days per year
2021-202543850% higher
✓0 days per year
2021-2025100% lower
Distance to the sea
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
166 km
2006-2025
576 km
2006-2025
Earthquakes M4.5+ within 100 km
tie
0.00 per year
2006-2025
0.00 per year
2006-2025

Urban environment

no winner
Population
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
870,193 people
2024
879,392 people
2024

A winner is named only for indicators with a known “better / worse” direction. Population and other neutral indicators are shown without a winner. Outdated and missing values are not counted. Details for each place: Columbia, El Paso.

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