Brooklyn is one of New York City's five boroughs, known for its vibrant cultural scenes, while El Paso is a charming city located in the far western part of Texas. Each city offers unique living experiences with different advantages or disadvantages depending on each person's preferences. We're exploring these two cities by looking at several significant factors such as crime/safety, weather, cost of living, education, work and economy, and several others to provide an in-depth comparison.
Brooklyn has been known for both its trendiness and tough reputation. While it has gentrified significantly in recent years, it is still statistically more dangerous than El Paso. However, the crime rate varies widely between Brooklyn’s neighborhoods. Conversely, El Paso regularly ranks as one of the safest cities in the US for its size, with significantly lower crime rates than Brooklyn and other similarly sized cities.
Cost of Living
The cost of living in Brooklyn is considerably higher than in El Paso. Everything from housing, food, transport to entertainment costs more in Brooklyn. The average home cost in Brooklyn is several times higher than in El Paso.
Income Tax
In terms of income tax, NYC residents, which include those in Brooklyn, can face up to 12.696% when combining state and city income tax. Texas, on the other hand, does not have a state income tax, making El Paso and the rest of Texas more beneficial for high earners.
Property Tax
Similarly, property taxes in Brooklyn are generally higher than in El Paso. Real estate taxes can vary widely in Brooklyn, depending on the property's location, size, and other factors, but it still generally higher than El Paso's average rate.
Sales Tax
In Brooklyn, where sales tax is 8.875%, the cost of goods can be significantly higher than El Paso’s 8.25% tax rate.
Income
Type
Brooklyn
El Paso
Estimated median household income
$67,567
$51,241
Estimated per capita income
$39,536
$25,670
Cost of living index (U.S. average is 100)
185.4
82.2
If you make $50,000 in El Paso, you will have to make $112,774 in Brooklyn to maintain the same standard of living.
Geographical Conditions
Brooklyn, located on the western tip of Long Island, is characterized by its urban landscape and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Meanwhile, El Paso sits largely in the Chihuahuan Desert, its geography providing beautiful desert and mountainous scenery.
Geographical information
Type
Brooklyn
El Paso
Land area
70.6 sq. miles
249.1 sq. miles
Population density
35,956 people per sq. mile
2,723.7 people per sq. mile
Relative area comparison
Brooklyn, NY El Paso, TX
Education
Both cities are home to excellent educational institutions. In Broooklyn, there are many world-renowned universities and colleges such as Brooklyn College and Pratt Institute. Additionally, residents have access to the NYC public school system. El Paso also offers excellent public and private schools and is home to the University of Texas at El Paso.
Brooklyn's economy is diverse with sectors such as manufacturing, retail, health care, and tech. Many Brooklynites also commute to Manhattan for work.
El Paso, however, leans more on sectors such as education, healthcare, and the military for jobs. Border commerce also plays a significant role in El Paso's economy.
Biggest Employers
The City of New York and JP Morgan Chase are two of the largest employers in Brooklyn. In El Paso, the largest employers are Fort Bliss, the University of Texas in El Paso, and the El Paso Independent School District.
In Brooklyn (Kings County), 82.1% voted for Democrats and 16.9% for Republicans in 2012 Presidential Election. In El Paso (El Paso County), 65.5% voted for Democrats and 33.2% for Republicans.
Elections
Type
Democrats
Republicans
Other
Year
Brooklyn
El Paso
Brooklyn
El Paso
Brooklyn
El Paso
2020
76.9%
66.8%
22.2%
31.6%
1.0%
1.6%
2016
79.6%
69.1%
17.5%
26.0%
2.9%
4.9%
2012
82.1%
65.5%
16.9%
33.2%
0.9%
1.3%
2008
79.9%
66.0%
20.1%
33.4%
0.0%
0.6%
2004
75.0%
56.2%
24.3%
43.3%
0.7%
0.5%
2000
81.0%
57.9%
15.7%
39.8%
3.3%
2.3%
1996
80.1%
62.3%
15.1%
32.1%
4.9%
5.6%
Breakdown of population affiliated with a religious congregation
Type
Adherents
Congregations
Religion
Brooklyn
El Paso
Brooklyn
El Paso
CATHOLIC CHURCH
24.9%
43.2%
7.5%
11.3%
MUSLIM ESTIMATE
3.8%
0.1%
4.2%
0.2%
AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCHES IN THE USA
1.9%
0.0%
3.8%
0.0%
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH
1.0%
0.3%
5.2%
1.6%
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
0.7%
0.1%
2.3%
1.0%
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
0.2%
3.3%
2.4%
26.6%
Weather
Brooklyn experiences a humid subtropical climate with full seasons including hot summers, cold winters, and a fair bit of snowfall. El Paso, on the other hand, is located in the Chihuahuan Desert, leading to a more arid climate with very hot summers, mild winters, and significant sun exposure with very little rainfall overall.
Weather and climate
Type
Brooklyn
El Paso
Temperature - Average
55.1°F
64.6°F
Humidity - Average morning or afternoon humidity
68.7%
42.7%
Humidity - Differences between morning and afternoon humidity
26.1%
42.8%
Humidity - Maximum monthly morning or afternoon humidity
76.8%
59.8%
Humidity - Minimum monthly morning or afternoon humidity
50.7%
17%
Precipitation - Yearly average
46.5 in
9.4 in
Snowfall - Yearly average
53.4 in
10.7 in
Clouds - Number of days clear of clouds
16.7%
31.8%
Sunshine amount - Average
60.2%
89.4%
Sunshine amount - Differences during a year
20%
13.9%
Sunshine amount - Maximum monthly
64%
89.3%
Sunshine amount - Minimum monthly
44%
75.4%
Wind speed - Average
10.6 mph
8.9 mph
Average climate in Brooklyn, New York
Average climate in El Paso, Texas
Air pollution
Type
AQI
CO
NO2
OZONE
PB
PM10
PM25
SO2
Year
Brooklyn
El Paso
Brooklyn
El Paso
Brooklyn
El Paso
Brooklyn
El Paso
Brooklyn
El Paso
Brooklyn
El Paso
Brooklyn
El Paso
Brooklyn
El Paso
2018
93
139
0.31
0.17
16.8
14.0
24.2
32.0
N/A
N/A
N/A
35.7
7.0
9.2
0.4
N/A
2017
95
173
0.25
0.19
17.0
13.0
24.5
30.5
N/A
N/A
N/A
40.4
7.1
9.5
0.3
0.5
2016
93
148
0.31
0.17
17.7
12.6
24.8
30.6
N/A
N/A
N/A
35.2
7.2
9.2
0.5
0.5
2015
100
112
0.38
0.18
18.2
12.7
24.1
30.8
N/A
N/A
N/A
31.2
8.0
8.0
0.7
0.5
2014
95
157
0.38
0.13
18.5
12.8
23.5
30.0
N/A
N/A
N/A
40.3
7.8
9.7
0.9
0.4
2013
96
211
0.41
0.23
18.9
14.1
24.4
30.5
N/A
N/A
N/A
43.9
8.5
10.8
1.0
0.4
2012
98
229
0.44
0.30
18.3
15.9
24.4
31.6
N/A
N/A
N/A
40.2
9.2
11.6
1.6
0.4
2011
107
221
0.43
0.23
20.7
15.9
23.6
31.2
N/A
N/A
N/A
34.7
10.3
11.6
2.4
0.5
2010
112
211
0.43
0.25
19.4
15.3
24.7
29.4
N/A
N/A
N/A
28.8
10.0
7.9
2.3
0.3
2009
104
117
0.43
0.23
21.5
15.4
20.7
29.5
N/A
N/A
N/A
28.6
10.2
8.3
3.1
0.3
2008
109
210
0.47
0.25
22.6
15.2
21.3
30.1
0.013
0.017
N/A
34.6
11.8
9.7
4.1
0.6
2007
121
134
0.53
0.28
23.5
13.9
20.8
30.6
0.016
0.019
N/A
40.5
12.4
8.4
4.8
0.4
2006
116
241
0.61
0.37
24.2
14.3
20.7
30.6
0.018
0.018
N/A
55.0
13.0
11.1
5.7
0.3
2005
107
159
0.74
0.43
26.1
13.1
19.6
29.6
N/A
0.013
N/A
44.5
N/A
9.6
7.5
0.6
2004
106
183
0.74
0.38
25.8
13.5
18.5
29.2
0.030
0.020
N/A
47.3
N/A
8.2
7.1
0.4
2003
107
278
0.81
0.46
27.4
15.5
18.4
29.5
0.021
0.039
26.9
60.4
N/A
10.8
7.4
0.6
2002
122
203
0.76
0.43
27.9
16.4
19.9
30.5
0.008
0.034
26.2
53.3
N/A
11.0
6.5
0.4
2001
121
139
0.80
0.51
29.5
15.5
22.3
28.7
0.020
0.046
27.3
N/A
N/A
9.8
7.8
0.7
2000
115
145
0.92
0.67
29.8
17.8
20.3
27.8
0.022
0.072
22.2
N/A
N/A
9.1
7.4
1.0
Natural disasters
Type
Brooklyn
El Paso
Tornado activity compared to U.S. average
56.4%
4.2%
Earthquake activity compared to U.S. average
30.8%
524.4%
Natural disasters compared to U.S. average
17%
11%
Transportation
Brooklyn offers a dense network of subway lines, buses, and bike lanes making commuting relatively easy. You can get around without a car, which is not the case in El Paso, where having a car is almost essential due to fewer public transit options and greater distances between areas.
Transport
Type
Brooklyn
El Paso
Amtrak stations
0
1
Amtrak stations nearby
3
1
FAA registered aircraft
149
331
FAA registered aircraft manufacturers and dealers
2
6
Means of transportation to work
Type
Brooklyn
El Paso
Bicycle
0.5%
0.3%
Bus
10.4%
1.3%
Carpooled
8%
11.2%
Car alone
22.4%
83.4%
Motorcycle
0%
0.2%
Railroad
1.4%
0%
Streetcar
0.2%
0%
Subway
44.8%
0%
Taxicab
0.7%
0.1%
Walked
8.8%
1.6%
Average travel time to work
Type
Brooklyn
El Paso
Average
44.5 min
25.1 min
Real Estate
The real estate market in Brooklyn is hotter with high demand pushing prices much higher than El Paso's. El Paso's market offers more affordability, making it a better choice for first-time home buyers.
Neighborhoods
The neighborhoods in Brooklyn are diverse, ranging from industrial zones like Red Hook to the brownstone-lined streets of Park Slope. Conversely, in El Paso, there are more family-oriented residential areas, such as the Sunset Heights and Kern Place.
Houses and residents
Type
Brooklyn
El Paso
Houses
930,866
261,779
Average household size (people)
2.7
3
Houses occupied
880,727 (94.6%)
242,529 (92.6%)
Houses occupied by owners
238,290 (27.1%)
147,788 (60.9%)
Houses occupied by renters
642,437 (72.9%)
94,741 (39.1%)
Median rent asked for vacant for-rent units
$1,589
$570.82
Median price asked for vacant for-sale houses and condos
$1,621,117
$227,007
Estimated median house or condo value
$793,300
$152,800
Median number of rooms in apartments
3.6
4.3
Median number of rooms in houses and condos
5.2
6.2
Renting percentage
72.3%
39.6%
Housing density (houses/condos per square mile)
13,184
1,051
Household income disparities
48.5%
46.6%
Housing units without a mortgage
29,251 (32.9%)
1,889 (2.2%)
Housing units with both a second mortgage and home equity loan
183 (0.2%)
2,956 (3.4%)
Housing units with a mortgage
59,793 (67.1%)
84,973 (97.8%)
Housing units with a home equity loan
4,512 (5.1%)
250 (0.3%)
Housing units with a second mortgage
5,098 (5.7%)
3,635 (4.2%)
Housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities
1.5%
2%
Housing units lacking complete plumbing facilities
Self-employed workers in own not incorporated business
45,971
19,650
State government workers
27,527
12,525
Unpaid family workers
2,234
901
Industries and Occupations
In Brooklyn, the top industries include healthcare, professional and technical services, and retail trade. Despite having more diversity in occupations, many residents work in administrative and sales jobs. El Paso's economy is more dependent on public sector jobs including education and the military, but there is a healthy presence of retail and healthcare jobs.
Brooklyn offers access to some of the best healthcare facilities in the nation via NYC's network of hospitals and clinics. El Paso also has quality healthcare with major facilities being Hospitals of Providence and Del Sol Medical Center.
Health (county statistics)
Type
Brooklyn
El Paso
General health status score of residents in this county from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent)
Brooklyn, being a part of NYC, boasts world-class infrastructure, including impressive skyscrapers, beautiful parks, and museums.
El Paso also offers robust infrastructure but on a smaller scale and a more residential feel with numerous single-family houses, parks, and shopping centers.
Infrastructure
Type
Brooklyn
El Paso
Hospitals
104
41
TV stations
29
10
Bank branches located here
271
89
Bank institutions located here
41
19
Main business address for public companies
9
7
Drinking water stations with no reported violations in the past
12
0
Drinking water stations with reported violations in the past
75
10
Schools
School facilities
Type
Brooklyn
El Paso
Private elementary/middle schools
151
22
Private high schools
128
16
Public elementary/middle schools
405
174
Public high schools
176
53
Colleges/Universities
48
18
Culture and Food
Culturally, Brooklyn is known for its hip hop, gritty poetry, indie music scene, and of course, it's world-famous pizzerias. The food scene is diverse, with influences from around the world. In contrast, El Paso offers a rich blend of Mexican and American cultures with the food scene heavily influenced by Tex-Mex cuisine.
Sports Teams
In terms of sports, Brooklyn hosts the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets and the NHL’s New York Islanders, while El Paso is home to the El Paso Chihuahuas, a minor league baseball team.
Brooklyn, NY
El Paso, TX
