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
Socorro
El Paso
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 29%
vs54 · Bottom 45%
Growth
48 · Bottom 46%
vs52 · Top 46%
Climate
64 · Bottom 31%
vs64 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 42%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 33%
vs91 · Top 30%
Schools
12 · Bottom 3%
vs37 · Bottom 32%
Access
83 · Bottom 27%
vs93 · Top 46%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 27%
vs45 · Bottom 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Socorro | El Paso | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,123 | 680,130 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,744 | $59,745 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $21,099 | $29,956 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,684/sq mi | 2,628/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $144,500 | $184,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,032 | $1,073 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.8% | 60.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.8% | 28.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.7% | 18.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 48 | 1,624 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 2.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.0% | -11.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 8.8" | 8.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 24.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.4 | 34.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 163 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.79 | 15.22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.0% | 27.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 26.8% | 38.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 84.8% | 74.1% | 2024-25 school 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
Socorro
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
El Paso
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Socorro, TX · El Paso, TX · How this is calculated: methodology