El Paso receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
El Paso
Columbus
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs50 · Bottom 40%
Growth
46 · Bottom 43%
vs28 · Bottom 17%
Climate
68 · Top 50%
vs72 · Top 34%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 38%
vs65 · Top 41%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 48%
vs88 · Bottom 43%
Access
54 · Bottom 13%
vs50 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 39%
vs33 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | El Paso | Columbus | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 874,182 | 325,615 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,751 | $59,336 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,456 | $33,493 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 157/sq mi | 117/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $180,200 | $197,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,079 | $1,069 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.3% | 57.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.9% | 28.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.7% | 18.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,032 | 623 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -7.3% | -5.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.2" | 48.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 74 mi | 84 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 24.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.6 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
El Paso
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Columbus
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: El Paso, TX Metro Area · Columbus, GA-AL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology