Living Cost Compare
Dover

Delaware

$1,270/mo est.

vs
El Paso

Texas

$1,020/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,270 in Dover, DE versus $1,020 in El Paso, TX. Overall, El Paso, TX is roughly 20% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Dover, DE, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $58,336 in Dover, DE and $58,734 in El Paso, TX — about 1% higher in El Paso, TX. Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Dover, DE
El Paso, TX

Rent

Studio
$993
$707
+29% in Dover, DE
1 Bedroom
$1,047
$816
+22% in Dover, DE
2 Bedroom
$1,185
$993
+16% in Dover, DE
3 Bedroom
$1,634
$1,252
+23% in Dover, DE

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$248,500
$171,700
+31% in Dover, DE

Income

Median Household Income
$58,336
$58,734
+1% in El Paso, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,690
$39,510
+15% in Dover, DE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.1 yr
34.1 yr
+1.0 yr in Dover, DE
Homeownership
47.0%
60.2%
+13.2 pp in El Paso, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.1%
27.5%
+0.4 pp in El Paso, TX
Avg Commute
24.0 min
23.7 min
+0.3 min in Dover, DE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,025.3
319.7
+69% in Dover, DE
Property Crime
6,159.1
1,509.3
+75% in Dover, DE

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
56.9°F
64.6°F
+7.7°F in El Paso, TX
Annual Precipitation
46.0 in
9.7 in
+36.3 in in Dover, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.58/gal
+9% in Dover, DE

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Texas.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.50

Adult base one-way fare — — vs Sun Metro (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
19.3
15.9
+17% in Dover, DE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$29.73
$31.89
+7% in El Paso, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (DE / TX)
None
6.25%
+6.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
6.60%
None
+6.6 pp in DE

Dover vs El Paso — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Dover or El Paso?
El Paso, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,020 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 20% below Dover, DE's $1,270, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Dover than in El Paso?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $42,000 a year in Dover versus $33,000 in El Paso.
Which has lower taxes, Dover or El Paso?
Dover is taxed under Delaware's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax); El Paso under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).