City comparison
Alhambra, CA versus Dallas, TX is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,788 a month in Alhambra and $1,931 in Dallas, and median household income lands at $80,234 versus $63,985. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Alhambra takes affordability, job market, and weather, while Dallas takes safety. The widest gap is median income, where Alhambra leads by 25% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.
Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Alhambra can feel further apart than Alhambra and Dallas do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Alhambra and Dallas reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Alhambra, CA
Dallas, TX
Rent
7% cheaper
Alhambra rent is 7% cheaper than Dallas
Alhambra
Winner$1,788/mo
Dallas
$1,931/mo
Typical rent runs $1,788 a month in Alhambra versus $1,931 in Dallas, so Alhambra is 7% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $143, or $1,716 a year — noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Median income
25% higher
Alhambra's median income is 25% higher than Dallas
Alhambra
Winner$80,234
Dallas
$63,985
Median household income is $80,234 in Alhambra versus $63,985 in Dallas, so typical pay runs 25% higher in Alhambra — about $16,249 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Alhambra is the stronger labor market on paper. Dallas can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
11% lower crime
Dallas's crime index is 11% lower than Alhambra
Alhambra
122 (100 = avg)
Dallas
Winner109 (100 = avg)
Dallas's crime index is 109 versus 122 in Alhambra (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 11% lower in Dallas. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Dallas, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Alhambra. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
School scores
Neck and neck
Alhambra and Dallas are about even on school scores.
Alhambra
A- · 84/100
Dallas
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Alhambra, A- in Dallas). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.
Typical weather
11% more comfortable
Alhambra weather is 11% more comfortable than Dallas
Alhambra
Winner90°F typical
Dallas
92°F typical
Alhambra scores 11% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 90°F in Alhambra and 92°F in Dallas. Alhambra reads as hot, long summers; Dallas reads as hot, long summers. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Dallas's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Alhambra is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
Alhambra is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 7% cheaper here at about $1,788 a month. Choose Alhambra if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 25% higher ($80,234), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 90°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Fit check
Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy
Dallas is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 11% lower than Alhambra (109 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
If the job market is your priority, Alhambra is the clear choice.
If safety matters more to you, Dallas pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Alhambra offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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