Should I Move To
El Cajon, California is home to about 105,721 people. On cost of living, it lands in the very expensive band — 39% above the national average. The median renter pays around $1,686 a month against a typical household income of $64,128. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 41 out of 100 (grade D), putting it at #767 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Inverse of violent + property crime rate per 100,000 residents.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
El Cajon's composite cost-of-living index lands at 139 (100 = US average), which puts it in the very expensive band. At $1,686/mo against $64,128 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 32% of income on housing — a bit above the 30% rule, meaning housing is on the tight side for the median household. Median home value sits around $593,500.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is warm year-round — summer averages around 75°F, winter averages around 51°F. Precipitation totals about 10 inches a year. Walkability is exceptional — most residents can live without a car if they want to. Crime sits a notch better than the national norm — not crime-free, but a step above average. Air quality is moderate (AQI 50).
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
El Cajon doesn't obviously fit families. It earns 40/100 (grade D) on the families profile. Strongest on walkability (92/100); weakest on affordability (8/100).
El Cajon doesn't obviously fit retirees. It earns 47/100 (grade D) on the retirees profile. Strongest on walkability (92/100); weakest on affordability (8/100).
El Cajon doesn't obviously fit remote workers. It earns 39/100 (grade F) on the remote workers profile. Strongest on walkability (92/100); weakest on affordability (8/100).
El Cajon doesn't obviously fit young professionals. It earns 42/100 (grade D) on the young professionals profile. Strongest on walkability (92/100); weakest on affordability (8/100).
El Cajon, California pulls a 41/100 overall on the UrbRank Score (grade D), currently ranked #767 nationally. The composite weights seven lifestyle dimensions: affordability, safety, climate, walkability, jobs, environment, and education.
El Cajon's cost-of-living index is 139 (with 100 as the US average), which lands in the very expensive band — 39% above the national average. Median rent runs about $1,686/mo.
Warm year-round — summer averages around 75°F, winter averages around 51°F, with about 10 inches of precipitation a year.
Walk Score: 92/100. Walkability is exceptional — most residents can live without a car if they want to.
El Cajon has about 105,721 residents, 23% of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher with a median age of 36.
Use UrbRank's comparison tool to put El Cajon head-to-head against any other US city — housing, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life metrics side by side. The leaderboard pages also show how El Cajon stacks up for families, retirees, remote workers, and young professionals specifically.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare El Cajon with other California cities scored on UrbRank.
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