Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to El Paso

You consider moving to El Paso but want to get more information about the city before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you all the pros and cons of living in El Paso in the following chapters.

Living in El Paso – Overview

Advantages of Living in El Paso

1. People in El Paso are friendly
2. El Paso is a multicultural city
3. You can have many interesting conversations
4. You will be welcome no matter where you come from
5. Property prices in El Paso are fairly low
6. Rents are affordable for the average person
7. Housing shortage is not a big problem in El Paso
8. Competition in the housing market is rather low
9. You will find a good place to live soon
10. You don’t have to fear getting evicted in El Paso
11. You can visit Mexico for a day trip
12. You can try delicious foods in El Paso
13. Living costs in El Paso are pretty low
14. Average person can still make a decent living in El Paso
15. You don’t have to deal with high levels of financial pressure
16. El Paso may be an interesting place to invest in property
17. El Paso may be underrated
18. Solid population growth in El Paso over the past decade
19. El Paso attracts people from all over the US
20. Solid nightlife in El Paso
21. Easy to socialize in El Paso
22. You can enjoy great weather in El Paso
23. Winters are rather mild
24. You can spend lots of time outdoors
25. El Paso offers decent air quality
26. Crime rate is lower compared to most other big cities in Texas
27. You can enjoy the comfort of a big city
28. Traffic is not a big problem in El Paso yet
29. Pretty easy to find a parking lot in El Paso
30. El Paso is not as crowded as other major cities
31. You will have enough time for yourself
32. People in El Paso are rather relaxed
33. Solid public transport near the city center
34. It will not take you long to get from one end of El Paso to the other
35. Good place to live for students or pensioners
36. El Paso has an international airport
37. People can save a high fraction of their income for retirement

People in El Paso are friendly

One advantage of moving to El Paso is that people are pretty friendly and willing to help you out on various occasions.

In fact, people in El Paso are not as shallow as in other major cities and you can really count on the support of your friends in this region.

El Paso is a multicultural city

Es Paso is also a great place to live since it is a pretty multicultural city.

In fact, you will meet many people from different backgrounds and exotic countries and can learn quite a lot about different cultures, lifestyles and about the world in general so that you can really grow in character in the long run.

You can have many interesting conversations

Apart from your personal development, talking to people from various parts of the world also allows you to have many interesting conversations and it also helps you socialize since it will be easy to get in touch with many people with different backgrounds and from different age groups and some of those people will become really good friends in the long run.

You will be welcome no matter where you come from

Since people in El Paso are open and tolerant, you will be welcome no matter from which country or state you come from and don’t have to fear getting socially isolated due to your background since you will find many new social contacts pretty soon and can quickly grow your circle of friends.

Property prices in El Paso are fairly low

Another upside to living in El Paso is that property prices are pretty low compared to other major cities in the US and while people living in San Francisco or other expensive regions often struggle to pay their mortgages, you will have a rather easy time in El Paso in this regard.

Rents are affordable for the average person

Not only property prices are pretty affordable, but also rents are reasonably low and this means that you don’t have to spend lots of money on housing and will have enough left to spend on other nice things.

Housing shortage is not a big problem in El Paso

Since demand for housing is pretty low, housing shortage is not a big problem in El Paso yet and you will also have a decent selection of nice places to buy or rent.

Competition in the housing market is rather low

Since housing shortage is not a big problem in El Paso, overall competition in the housing market is also pretty low and you will therefore not need a perfect credit score or a clean record as long as you have a solid financial standing since you will have a rather easy time finding a place to live.

You will find a good place to live soon

You will also not have to spend lots of time finding a good place to stay and while people moving to New York City or other fancy places often search for months, you will find a decent place to live in El Paso within weeks or even days.

You don’t have to fear getting evicted in El Paso

Another benefit of moving to El Paso is that you don’t have to fear getting evicted from your property in case you don’t pay rent for a limited period of time as much as you would have to if you lived in regions where demand for housing is higher since landlords will often be able to compromise with you in this regard and you will have a more relaxed life as a tenant in general.

You can visit Mexico for a day trip

Since Mexico is not far away, you can also make nice day trips to this neighboring country while most other people living in different regions will just not have this luxury.

You can try delicious foods in El Paso

Since El Paso is a culturally diverse place, you will also be able to try foods from various parts of our planet and this gives you lots of inspiration for cooking at home and you can therefore greatly improve your knowledge and your skills in this regard.

Living costs in El Paso are pretty low

Another advantage of moving to El Paso is that living costs are pretty low in general compared to other major cities in the US and this means that you will be able to afford many more things with the same amounts of money.

Average person can still make a decent living in El Paso

Since living and housing costs are fairly low, the average person can still make a decent living in El Paso while people living in San Diego or other major cities often struggle in this regard quite a lot and many people become increasingly desperate to pay their bills.

You don’t have to deal with high levels of financial pressure

Since living costs are reasonably low and you don’t have to spend lots of money on rent or your mortgage, your overall financial pressure will be much lower compared to people living in more expensive regions and this gives you the opportunity to live a more relaxed life in general.

El Paso may be an interesting place to invest in property

Another upside to moving to El Paso is that it may also be a great place to invest in property since property prices are still pretty low while rental yields are decent and once the city becomes increasingly popular, you may be able to benefit from both increasing rents and property prices in the long run.

El Paso may be underrated

In general, many people claim that El Paso is underrated right now and that it may become increasingly popular in the future.

In such a case, it may make sense to move to El Paso right now while it is still a rather secret spot and benefit from the low housing and living costs as long as possible before times may change.

Solid population growth in El Paso over the past decade

Solid population growth of the El Paso region also indicates that El Paso becomes increasingly popular and if this trend continues, El Paso may gain the same high standing as Houston or other bigger cities in Texas.

El Paso attracts people from all over the US

Since El Paso is a tolerant place and overall popularity of the city has increased substantially over the past decade, an increasing number of people living in other cities in the US consider moving to El Paso and El Paso may therefore become an important economic center sooner or later.

Solid nightlife in El Paso

While you will not find the same great nightlife in El Paso compared to NYC or other major cities, it still has a certain special atmosphere and you will find many interesting bars and clubs to hang out after work.

Easy to socialize in El Paso

Since people in El Paso are open and tolerant, it is also pretty easy to socialize in El Paso and you can meet many new people within a rather short period of time and don’t have to worry about getting socially isolated as long as you are an open and tolerant person yourself and are also willing to adapt to local customs a little bit.

You can enjoy great weather in El Paso

You can also enjoy great weather and many hours of sun in El Paso while people in Chicago or other regions often have to deal with rain and snow and also experience far colder climatic conditions in general.

Winters are rather mild

Not only will you experience many hours of sun and hot summers, but also winters are relatively mild in El Paso compared to most other cities in the US and moving to El Paso can therefore be great for you if you love the sun and the heat and don’t want to spend your time in cold climatic zones.

You can spend lots of time outdoors

Since weather in El Paso is great, you can also spend lots of time outdoors and enjoy the sun while many other people living in cooler and rainier climatic zones often have to stay indoors more often.

El Paso offers decent air quality

Another advantage of living in El Paso is that air quality is pretty decent compared to many other cities in the US and this is not only great since it increases overall quality of life, but it also reduces your risk of suffering from serious pulmonary health problems sooner or later.

Crime rate is lower compared to most other big cities in Texas

It may surprise you but also crime rates are relatively low in El Paso compared to other cities in Texas and El Paso is in fact a pretty safe place to live in.

You can enjoy the comfort of a big city

You will also find everything you need in El Paso and don’t have to drive to other cities as would often be the case if you lived in smaller towns where the supply of material goods is often rather bad.

Traffic is not a big problem in El Paso yet

Another benefit of living in El Paso is that traffic is not a big problem yet and you can get around pretty efficiently without getting stuck in traffic jams as would be the case in other big cities.

Pretty easy to find a parking lot in El Paso

Since traffic is rather reasonable in El Paso, you will also have a rather easy time finding a parking lot in most districts and don’t have to spend lots of time and money in this regard.

El Paso is not as crowded as other major cities

El Paso is also not as crowded as many other major cities in the US and this is pretty great since you will not run into people on a regular basis but can live a more relaxed life in general.

You will have enough time for yourself

Since El Paso is not that crowded, you can also use many public spaces for yourself and you will also find many quiet spaces where you can hang out alone in case you need some time for yourself and think about complex problems and how to solve them.

People in El Paso are rather relaxed

Since people in El Paso don’t have to make as much money to make a decent living as in most other big cities, many of them are pretty relaxed and have enough time to chat with you and to help you out in case you need support in various parts of life.

Solid public transport near the city center

While El Paso doesn’t have the greatest public transport, it is still good enough to get around in an efficient manner as long as you live close enough to the city center.

It will not take you long to get from one end of El Paso to the other

Since El Paso is relatively small compared to other major cities, it will also be pretty easy to get around in this city and you can therefore visit your friends living in different districts within a reasonable amount of time since you will most likely not get stuck in traffic jams.

Good place to live for students or pensioners

Since living costs in El Paso are pretty low and housing shortage is not a big problem yet, El Paso is also a great place to live in for people who don’t have lots of money, especially for students or pensioners who would not be able to afford to live in more expensive regions.

El Paso has an international airport

Living in El Paso can also be quite convenient since the city has a big international airport from which you can fly to various destinations of our planet in an efficient manner.

People can save a high fraction of their income for retirement

Since people don’t have to spend lots of money on housing and living in El Paso yet, many of them are also able to save and invest enough money for retirement so that they can avoid financial problems later on once they quit their active careers.

As you can see, there are many reasons to move to El Paso.

However, it is still not paradise and we also have to talk about all the downsides that come along with it so that you get a more realistic picture of reality and can better decide whether you still want to move to El Paso or rather want to live in a different region instead.

Disadvantages of Living in El Paso

1. El Paso doesn’t have a good reputation
2. Your friends from other states may not visit you that often
3. El Paso is not a typical American city
4. Income levels in El Paso are pretty low
5. Unemployment rate is relatively high
6. Many low qualified people have problems finding a decent job
7. Not that many big corporations to work for
8. El Paso is not a tenant-friendly place
9. El Paso is a hot place
10. You may miss real seasons in El Paso
11. Public transport is pretty poor outside the city center
12. You will not find many renowned colleges in El Paso
13. Nightlife is not as great as in other major cities in El Paso
14. Not many exciting events taking place in El Paso
15. Not as many sports events to watch as in other big cities
16. Nature is not as great around El Paso as in many other regions
17. You may get bored living in El Paso
18. You may miss the feeling of big city life in El Paso
19. El Paso is not the most glamorous city
20. Not a good place to live for shopping queens
21. El Paso is not located at the coast
22. Border region can be unsafe
23. Tap water quality is rather poor in El Paso
24. Water scarcity may become a serious problem in El Paso
25. Hard to meet famous people in El Paso
26. Your friends may not understand your decision of moving to El Paso
27. Poverty is a big problem in El Paso
28. Increasing level of inequality
29. Social tensions increase as well
30. Homelessness has become a serious problem in El Paso
31. El Paso is not the greatest place for families
32. Many people consider leaving El Paso in the near future
33. El Paso is not a bike-friendly city
34. You often need a car to get around
35. You will not meet many artists in El Paso
36. El Paso doesn’t offer many nice museums
37. Architecture in El Paso is not that great
38. Hard to do winter sports in El Paso
39. You may miss recreational spaces in El Paso

El Paso doesn’t have a good reputation

One disadvantage of living in El Paso is that it simply doesn’t have the same great reputation as NYC or other fancy cities in the US and since it is close to the border, your friends may often worry about crime and your overall well-being.

Your friends from other states may not visit you that often

Since El Paso is not the most popular city, your friends from different states may also not visit you as often as would be the case if you move to Anaheim or other nicer places and you may therefore miss your old friends quite a lot in the long run.

El Paso is not a typical American city

You should also know that El Paso is not the most typical American city.

Since it is pretty close to the border, you will almost get the feeling of living in a Mexican town and if you want to live in a traditional US city, you may rather want to move to San Antonio or other more traditional cities instead.

Income levels in El Paso are pretty low

Another problem with living in El Paso is that average income levels are pretty low and you will have a hard time finding a job that pays as much money as in NYC or other high-income cities and if your goal is to get wealthy or even rich, moving to El Paso may not be the right way to go for you in this regard.

Unemployment rate is relatively high

You should also know that unemployment rates in El Paso are pretty high and that many people struggle to find a decent job that pays enough money to make a decent living.

Many low qualified people have problems finding a decent job

Especially low-qualified people have a hard time finding a decent job and often also lose their jobs sooner or later and get into serious financial problems in the long run.

Not that many big corporations to work for

Compared to other major cities, there are also not that many great corporations located in El Paso and your selection of potential jobs may be rather limited.

El Paso is not a tenant-friendly place

If you don’t want to buy a home but rather want to rent, El Paso may also not be a great place for you since like most other cities in Texas, El Paso has landlord-friendly laws and you may have a hard time as a tenant on various occasions if you don’t get along with your landlord.

El Paso is a hot place

Another downside to living in El Paso is that it is a pretty hot place and you should not underestimate the heat in the summer.

Thus, if you don’t love to live in a pretty hot place, El Paso will not be for you and you should rather go for a different city instead.

You may miss real seasons in El Paso

Since even winters are pretty warm in El Paso most of the time, you may just miss real seasons and the snow and you may just get bored with a lack of seasons in El Paso in the long run.

Public transport is pretty poor outside the city center

While public transport is ok near the city center, it becomes pretty bad in the outskirts of El Paso and you may therefore not be able to get around by bus in an efficient manner.

You will not find many renowned colleges in El Paso

While you can get solid education for yourself and your kids, El Paso is not known for world-class education and you will also not find that many reputable colleges.

Nightlife is not as great as in other major cities in El Paso

Nightlife in El Paso is also not as great as in other major cities and if you are the type of person who wants to party until the early morning, moving to El Paso may just not be the right way to go for you.

Not many exciting events taking place in El Paso

In general, there are also not that many exciting events going on in El Paso and while other big cities often host world-class ceremonies, you will get pretty frustrated in El Paso in this regard.

Not as many sports events to watch as in other big cities

El Paso also doesn’t have many great sports teams and if you are a big sports fan and want to watch games on a regular basis, you may be better off moving to Phoenix or other big cities where you will find more entertainment in this regard.

Nature is not as great around El Paso as in many other regions

You should also know that you will also not find as much beautiful nature around El Paso as around many other big cities since El Paso is located in a desert-like environment and there will just not be that many nice places to hang out.

You may get bored living in El Paso

Since there is not that much entertainment in El Paso, chances are that you will also get bored with living in El Paso sooner or later and may want to move to a more interesting city instead.

You may miss the feeling of big city life in El Paso

Another downside to moving to El Paso is that you may also miss the feeling of big city life you may be used to from NYC or L.A. since El Paso is a rather small city compared to those giants and you will just not get the same vibes.

El Paso is not the most glamorous city

You should also know that El Paso is not the most glamorous city and if you want to be at the heart of the universe, moving to El Paso would therefore be a rather poor choice in this regard.

Not a good place to live for shopping queens

While you will get most things for daily life, you will still not have that many fancy boutiques in El Paso and if you are a shopping victim, chances are that you will be far better off moving to a different city.

El Paso is not located at the coast

Another problem with moving to El Paso is that the city is also not located at the coast and this takes away the opportunity to go surfing or swimming before or after work since it would simply take you too long to get from El Paso to the beach.

Border region can be unsafe

While El Paso is a relatively safe city, there are also many dodgy districts, especially near the border where many unpleasant things are going on right now.

Tap water quality is rather poor in El Paso

You should also know that tap water quality in El Paso is pretty poor compared to many other big cities in the US and you may therefore have to rely on bottled water instead of just drinking tap water.

Water scarcity may become a serious problem in El Paso

Since El Paso is located in a pretty hot region, water scarcity may become a serious problem in the near future due to global warming and once the city runs out of drinking water, overall quality of life may drop significantly.

Hard to meet famous people in El Paso

Since El Paso is not the most popular city, it is also hard to meet celebrities and other famous people and influential people in this region and it is therefore also much harder to build a strong network than in other more prestigious cities.

Your friends may not understand your decision of moving to El Paso

You may also have to justify quite a lot for your plans of moving to El Paso since the city has a relatively low reputation and your loved ones may just not understand your decision of moving to this place.

Poverty is a big problem in El Paso

Another disadvantage of moving to El Paso is that many people in this region live below the poverty line and this is just not a pretty picture and may also greatly lower your own quality of life in the long run.

Increasing level of inequality

There has also been an increasing level of inequality in El Paso over the past decade and if this trend continues, chances are that people will become increasingly frustrated and desperate in the long run.

Social tensions increase as well

Due to the increasing level of inequality, social cohesion may also deteriorate sooner or later, people from different social classes may no longer hang out with each other and people may just no longer be that friendly in El Paso in the long run.

Homelessness has become a serious problem in El Paso

You should also know that homelessness is a big problem in El Paso and this may lead to further increasing crime rates in the future since people living in the streets will have to do everything to survive and will not care about obeying laws that much anymore.

El Paso is not the greatest place for families

Due to all those social problems, El Paso is also not the greatest place for families and many people who have kids consider leaving the region and families may not consider moving to El Paso at all since they may just not feel safe and are not sure whether they find a good environment for their kids to grow up or not.

Many people consider leaving El Paso in the near future

Since the El Paso region faces many challenges, many people who are able to afford to move to a more expensive city will often do so since they just no longer feel comfortable in El Paso and just want to leave.

El Paso is not a bike-friendly city

You should also note that El Paso is not the most bike-friendly city and you will therefore have a hard time getting around by bike in an efficient and safe manner.

You often need a car to get around

Since biking is often not an option and public transport in the outskirts of El Paso is pretty poor, you may have to rely on your car to get around and this is not only bad for our environment but also for your pocket in the long run.

You will not meet many artists in El Paso

El Paso is also not the most popular place for artists and if you are an artist yourself or just want to meet up with many like-minded people on a regular basis, you should rather move to a place where art places a more important role.

El Paso doesn’t offer many nice museums

Not only will you miss a great art scene in El Paso, but there are also not many good museums or exhibitions to visit and you may get bored in this regard pretty soon.

Architecture in El Paso is not that great

El Paso also doesn’t have the most interesting architecture and you will also not find as many interesting buildings and history as in many other bigger cities.

Hard to do winter sports in El Paso

Since El Paso is a pretty hot place, it rarely snows enough in winter to do winter sports and if you love to go skiing or snowboarding, you will get pretty disappointed in this regard.

You may miss recreational spaces in El Paso

You will also not find as many recreational spaces in El Paso as in many other cities and this makes it hard for you to relax and to reload your batteries in this city.

Top 10 Moving To El Paso Pros & Cons – Summary List

Should You Move To El Paso?

El Paso is a great place to live in since property prices and rents are relatively low and the average person is able to make a decent living and can enjoy many amenities that come along with living in a big city.

However, El Paso also has a relatively high unemployment rate and is not the most popular or glamorous city.

Thus, it is on you to evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages of living in El Paso in this article carefully so that you can better decide whether you still want to move to El Paso or rather want to go for a different region instead.

Alternative Cities To Live In

If you don’t want to move to El Paso anymore, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in San Antonio

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Washington D.C.

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Nashville

Sources

https://www.elpasotexas.gov/

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.