City comparison
Yes. El Paso's crime index is 87 versus 495 in Memphis, and its violent crime index is 88 versus 629, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
El Paso is cheaper. Median rent is $1,073 a month versus $1,181 in Memphis.
Safety is where El Paso and Memphis split most clearly. El Paso scores 408 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,073 in El Paso and $1,181 in Memphis.
El Paso is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, the job market, and safety by margins that add up in daily life. Memphis makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone El Paso is the stronger move.
The crime gap is citywide. El Paso has rougher pockets and Memphis has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
El Paso and Memphis are 975 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,073 a month in El Paso to $1,181 a month in Memphis, up $108 a month (10%).
Median household income goes from $59,745 in El Paso to $51,736 in Memphis, down $8,009 (13%).
The crime index goes from 87 in El Paso to 495 in Memphis, up 408 points (469%).
The move
Memphis and El Paso are 975 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,181 a month in Memphis to $1,073 a month in El Paso, down $108 a month (9%).
Median household income goes from $51,736 in Memphis to $59,745 in El Paso, up $8,009 (15%).
The crime index goes from 495 in Memphis to 87 in El Paso, down 408 points (82%).
El Paso, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Memphis, TN
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing El Paso and Memphis? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
9% cheaper
El Paso rent is 9% cheaper than Memphis
El Paso
Winner$1,073/mo
Memphis
$1,181/mo
Typical rent runs $1,073 a month in El Paso versus $1,181 in Memphis, so El Paso is 9% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $108, or $1,296 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in El Paso? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
15% higher
El Paso's median income is 15% higher than Memphis
El Paso
Winner$59,745
Memphis
$51,736
Median household income is $59,745 in El Paso versus $51,736 in Memphis, so typical pay runs 15% higher in El Paso (about $8,009 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, El Paso is the stronger labor market on paper. Memphis can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
82% lower crime
El Paso's crime index is 82% lower than Memphis
El Paso
Winner87 (100 = avg)
Memphis
495 (100 = avg)
El Paso's crime index is 87 versus 495 in Memphis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 82% lower in El Paso. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, El Paso is the easier city. Memphis can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
El Paso and Memphis are about even on typical weather.
El Paso
66°F avg · 72°F highs · comfort 100/100
Memphis
68°F avg · 78°F highs · comfort 100/100
El Paso averages about 66°F (72°F highs); Memphis averages about 68°F (78°F highs). El Paso sits near 66°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Memphis sits near 68°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
El Paso is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 9% cheaper here at about $1,073 a month. Choose El Paso if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
El Paso is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 15% higher here ($59,745). Start with El Paso if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
El Paso is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 82% lower than Memphis (87 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Memphis
On these five categories El Paso takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Memphis because the stats are kinder. They are not. Choose Memphis only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.
Bottom line
Safety is the widest gap: El Paso scores 64/100 versus 11/100 in Memphis. Rent is $1,073/month in El Paso and $1,181/month in Memphis, so you are not buying calm streets for free.
With only $108 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Typical rent stays $1,073 in El Paso and $1,181 in Memphis.
El Paso is ahead on safety (64/100 vs 11/100); Memphis is still viable when you have a vetted ZIP there and $1,181/month rent plus $51,736 income fit your budget better than the safety margin.
Common questions
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Nearby research
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