Advantages & Disadvantages of Retiring in El Paso

You think about retiring in El Paso but want to get additional information about senior life, living costs, housing situation, entertainment, safety, medical infrastructure and much more before making your final decision in this regard?

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

Table of Contents

Retire in El Paso – Overview

Living CostsLiving costs in El Paso are relatively low compared to many other big cities in the US.
HousingMany retirees in El Paso are able to find decent and affordable places to stay since rents are still pretty low and housing shortage is not a big problem yet.
ClimateEl Paso has pretty warm summers and relatively mild winters so pensioners in El Paso can spend lots of time outdoors in the sun.
CrimeEl Paso is a relatively safe city compared to many other big cities in the US.
Opportunities to SocializeEl Paso is an open and friendly place and you will also find many senior centers and other places where you can socialize as a retiree in El Paso.
EntertainmentYou can go to the movies, visit a museum, go to the bookstore and do many other interesting things in El Paso.
Public TransportPublic transport in El Paso is not great compared to many other big cities in America.
Walkability & BicyclingEl Paso is not the most bicycle-friendly city and public infrastructure is also not as great as in many other big cities so pensioners in El Paso may not find everything they need within walking distance and may urgently need a car to get around.
Medical InfrastructureWhile you will find decent doctors and hospitals, medical infrastructure in El Paso is not as great as in many other big cities.
Supply of Material GoodsWhile you will get most things you need for daily life, overall supply of material goods is still not great in this region.
advantages and disadvantages of retiring in el paso

Reasons to Retire in El Paso

  1. Rents are still affordable for most retirees in El Paso
  2. Easy to find a decent place to stay for pensioners in El Paso
  3. Competition in the housing market is pretty low
  4. Housing shortage will not be a big problem in the foreseeable future
  5. Living costs in El Paso are rather low
  6. Low overall financial pressure for people who retire in El Paso
  7. El Paso is a rather relaxed city
  8. Traffic is not a big problem in El Paso
  9. Decent senior centers in El Paso
  10. You can hang out in bars with other like-minded people
  11. You can try many delicious dishes in El Paso
  12. Easy to socialize in El Paso
  13. El Paso is a pretty warm place
  14. You can enjoy many hours of sun
  15. Retirees in El Paso can spend lots of time outdoors
  16. El Paso has an international airport
  17. Decent internet connection in El Paso
  18. You can make nice trips to Mexico
  19. El Paso has decent air quality
  20. El Paso is a pretty safe city
  21. El Paso may still be underrated

Rents are still affordable for most retirees in El Paso

One advantage of retiring in El Paso is that rents are still affordable for most people.

In fact, retirees in El Paso have to spend far less money on housing compared to people retiring in San José or other more expensive cities where rents have skyrocketed over the past decade.

Easy to find a decent place to stay for pensioners in El Paso

It is also pretty easy to find a decent and affordable place to stay for pensioners in El Paso since they can choose between many alternatives and will find a good place to retire pretty quickly while people who want to retire in Los Angeles or other more popular places often have to search for longer.

Competition in the housing market is pretty low

In general, competition in the housing market is pretty low in the El Paso region and this implies that you will be in a rather good position as a tenant since you will not have to worry about getting evicted anytime soon and even in case this happens, you will find a new place to stay rather soon.

Housing shortage will not be a big problem in the foreseeable future

Since El Paso is not the most popular city, demand for housing may stay low for many years or even decades and this is great news for you as a pensioner in El Paso since it means that rents will most likely stay low as well.

Living costs in El Paso are rather low

Not only housing costs are pretty low, but also living costs in El Paso are below national average and this is great news since you will not have to spend as much money on things for daily life as retirees in San Francisco or other more expensive regions and can afford more nice things for the same budget.

Low overall financial pressure for people who retire in El Paso

Thanks to rather low living and housing costs, retirees in El Paso also don’t have to deal with high financial pressure in general and have a rather relaxed time in this regard since they don’t always have to worry about their financial situation as much as people retiring in New York City or other more popular regions where everything is pretty expensive.

El Paso is a rather relaxed city

You should also know that El Paso is a pretty relaxed city where people are outgoing and friendly and not in the same rush as in other bigger cities so you will have an easier time talking to people and getting help in case you need it.

Traffic is not a big problem in El Paso

Also traffic jams are not a big problem in the El Paso region yet and this can be great since you can get from A to B in a pretty efficient manner without losing lots of time in traffic as in many other busier regions and this means that you will be able to enjoy more of your leisure with nicer things instead.

Decent senior centers in El Paso

Another benefit of retiring in El Paso is that you will find decent senior centers and other places where you can socialize with other retirees so you can share important information and can also get valuable insights on how to save lots of money as a pensioner in El Paso.

You can hang out in bars with other like-minded people

There are also many good bars where you can meet up with other like-minded people and can discuss what’s going on in the world right now so you can keep up with latest developments and can also adjust important decisions accordingly.

You can try many delicious dishes in El Paso

Since El Paso is a multicultural place, you can also try many delicious dishes from various parts of the world and this can be especially great for you as a retiree since eating will be one of your main priorities since you may no longer be fit enough to do other more exciting things.

Easy to socialize in El Paso

Since people in El Paso are open and outgoing, you will also have a rather easy time making new social connections and friends in this region and chances are that you will never feel lonely as a pensioner in El Paso.

El Paso is a pretty warm place

You should also know that El Paso is a pretty warm place and while people retiring in Chicago or other cooler places have to wear heavy coats during winter, you in El Paso can just spend your time outdoors with just a shirt or a light jacket and this may give you a feeling of being on vacation all year long.

You can enjoy many hours of sun

El Paso is also a pretty sunny place and this can help you get into a really good mood since the more sunlight humans get, the happier they usually are and the more relaxed they are in general.

Retirees in El Paso can spend lots of time outdoors

Thanks to hot summers and rather warm winters, you can also spend lots of time outdoors in the El Paso region and can get lots of fresh air while you can also stay fit at the same time.

El Paso has an international airport

Since El Paso has an international airport, your loved ones from different parts of the US will also have a rather easy time visiting you and chances are that you will never feel lonely in the El Paso region due to that.

Decent internet connection in El Paso

Even if your family and friends may not be able to visit you on a regular basis, you can still make video calls or use social media to stay connected with them since internet connection in the El Paso region is pretty decent and you will therefore have an easy time staying connected to the world as a retiree in El Paso.

You can make nice trips to Mexico

Since El Paso is pretty close to the Mexican border, you can also make many nice day trips to Mexico which can make your senior life in El Paso much more interesting.

El Paso has decent air quality

You should also know that El Paso has pretty decent air quality compared to many other big cities in the US and retiring in El Paso can therefore make sense for you in case you already suffer from pulmonary problems and don’t want those problems get worse and therefore want to avoid moving to a more polluted area.

El Paso is a pretty safe city

El Paso is also a rather safe city and crime rates are pretty low. In turn, many people who retire in El Paso feel pretty safe and don’t have to worry about getting involved in serious incidents as much as people retiring in Philadelphia or other cities where crime is a much bigger problem.

El Paso may still be underrated

Since El Paso is a pretty safe city and people retiring in El Paso have decent overall quality of life, El Paso may still be underrated and this can be great for you since you can benefit from pretty low living and housing costs while you will still be able to enjoy many amenities the city has to offer.

As you can see, there are many reasons for retiring in El Paso.

Yet, there are also some drawbacks of retiring in El Paso that I want to discuss for you in the following so you will be better able to decide whether you still want to retire in El Paso or rather want to spend the last chapter of your life in a different region instead.

Disadvantages of Retiring in El Paso

  1. Public transport is not great in El Paso
  2. Hard to get around by bicycle for retirees in El Paso
  3. You may urgently need a car as a pensioner in El Paso
  4. El Paso is not located at the coast
  5. El Paso may be too hot for you
  6. Water scarcity may become a problem in El Paso
  7. Not as much entertainment as in other big cities
  8. Hard to find world-class doctors in El Paso
  9. Supply of material goods is not as great as in other major cities
  10. El Paso is a landlord-friendly place
  11. El Paso may experience many social problems

Public transport is not great in El Paso

One downside to retiring in El Paso is that public transport is not great in this city and while people retiring in Phoenix have a rather easy time getting around by bus or other means of public transport, you will often not be able to use public transport in El Paso in a reliable manner.

Hard to get around by bicycle for retirees in El Paso

You should also know that El Paso is not the most bicycle-friendly city and getting around by bike is often also pretty risky since there might not be enough bike lanes to get around by bicycle in a safe manner.

You may urgently need a car as a pensioner in El Paso

Since public transport is not great and going around by bike is not a good option either, you may urgently need a car to get around as a pensioner in El Paso in an efficient manner and this will not only hurt our environment but will also be bad for your finances in the long run.

El Paso is not located at the coast

Another disadvantage of retiring in El Paso is that the city is not located at the coast and while people living in Long Beach or other coastal cities can relax at the beach and also go swimming on a regular basis, you in El Paso will just not have this luxury and may secretly envy your friends who may have those options.

El Paso may be too hot for you

You should also keep in mind that El Paso is a pretty hot city and many people who can’t stand the heat may not get happy in this region and also their bodies may no longer work properly during hot summers.

Water scarcity may become a problem in El Paso

Due to hot weather, water scarcity may also become a serious problem in the El Paso region sooner or later and this problem may get even worse due to climate change which would greatly lower overall quality of life in the long run.

Not as much entertainment as in other big cities

You should also know that El Paso is not the most exciting city and you will not find as many great sports events or other entertainment as in other major cities and may get bored as a pensioner in El Paso in the long run.

Hard to find world-class doctors in El Paso

Another problem with retiring in El Paso is that you will also have a hard time finding really good doctors and hospitals in this region while people retiring in San Diego and other fancier places will have a much easier time in this regard.

Supply of material goods is not as great as in other major cities

You should also know that while you will find most important things in the El Paso region, you may not find certain rather exotic material goods in stores and may therefore have to order them or drive to other bigger cities where overall supply of material goods will be better.

El Paso is a landlord-friendly place

Since El Paso is a rather landlord-friendly place, you may also have pretty limited rights as a tenant and your landlord may be able to raise rents significantly within a rather short period of time.

El Paso may experience many social problems

Since El Paso is a border city, there may be many unpleasant things going on sooner or later and you may also have to deal with all sorts of social problems in the long run once social inequality is about to get worse.

Top 10 Retiring in El Paso Pros & Cons – Summary List

Retire in El Paso ProsRetire in El Paso Cons
Living costs in El Paso are pretty lowHard to find really good medical treatment in El Paso
Rents are affordable for most retirees in El PasoHard to get around by public transport for retirees in El Paso
Many pensioners in El Paso find a decent place to stay quicklyEl Paso is not a great place to use your bicycle
You can enjoy great weather in El PasoPensioners in El Paso may need a car to get around
Pensioners in El Paso can spend lots of time outdoorsEl Paso is not located at the coast
Decent senior centers in El PasoEl Paso may be too hot for many pensioners
Easy to socialize for people retiring in El PasoLack of real seasons may get annoying
El Paso is not the most crowded cityEl Paso is not the most exciting city
Traffic is not a big problem in El Paso yetPublic infrastructure in El Paso is not great
El Paso is a pretty safe cityMany social problems in El Paso

Is El Paso A Good Place To Retire?

While retiring in El Paso can make quite a lot of sense since living and housing costs are pretty low and El Paso is also a pretty safe place, you should still know that it is rather hard to find really good medical treatment in El Paso, public infrastructure is not great and it may also simply be too hot for many pensioners.

Alternative Cities To Retire

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

Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Denver

Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Oklahoma City

Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Nashville

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/elpasocountytexas

Own research.

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 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.

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