Residential comparison · 13 facts
El Cajon, CA vs National City, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in El Cajon needs about $82,500 in National City to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from National City, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $87,500 in El Cajon.
A few differences
- El Cajon is higher on median household income ($67,511 vs $66,841).
- National City is lower on cost of living index (127 vs 133).
- National City is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,809/mo vs $1,951/mo).
El Cajon vs National City · facet by facet
| Facet | El Cajon, CA | National City, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $681,700 | $612,200 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,951/mo | $1,809/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 133 | 127 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $67,511 | $66,841 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: El Cajon, CA · National City, CA
Questions & answers
- Is El Cajon cheaper than National City?
- National City has the lower day-to-day cost index (127 vs 133 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in National City equals $85,000 in El Cajon?
- A household earning $85,000 in El Cajon needs about $82,500 in National City to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of National City lifestyle costs about $87,500 in El Cajon.