Is Dallas cheaper than Austin?

Yes. Typical rent in Dallas is $1,472 a month versus $1,729 in Austin — 15% cheaper. Median household income is $70,518 in Dallas compared with $93,658 in Austin, so Austin has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Dallas or Austin?

Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 109 in Dallas and 109 in Austin (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.

Which city has better schools, Dallas or Austin?

Austin has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Dallas — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

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City comparison

Dallas, TX vs Austin, TX

Dallas, TX versus Austin, 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 $1,472 a month in Dallas and $1,729 in Austin, and median household income lands at $70,518 versus $93,658. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Dallas takes affordability, while Austin takes job market, schools, and weather. The widest gap is median income, where Austin leads by 33% — 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 Dallas can feel further apart than Dallas and Austin do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Dallas and Austin reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Dallas report Full Austin report

Dallas, TX

Rent: $1,472/mo
Median income: $70,518
Crime index: 109
Schools: A-
Weather: 91°F

Austin, TX

Rent: $1,729/mo
Median income: $93,658
Crime index: 109
Schools: A
Weather: 90°F

Rent

15% cheaper

Dallas rent is 15% cheaper than Austin

Dallas

Winner

$1,472/mo

Austin

$1,729/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,472 a month in Dallas versus $1,729 in Austin, so Dallas is 15% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $3,084 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Dallas still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Austin.

Median income

33% higher

Austin's median income is 33% higher than Dallas

Dallas

$70,518

Austin

Winner

$93,658

What this means for your life

Median household income is $93,658 in Austin versus $70,518 in Dallas, so typical pay runs 33% higher in Austin — about $23,140 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, Austin 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

Neck and neck

Dallas and Austin are about even on crime index.

Dallas

109 (100 = avg)

Austin

109 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Dallas and Austin post similar crime indexes (109 vs 109, where 100 is the national average). A small gap at the city level can still hide a huge neighborhood spread. Walk the specific block, check lighting and late-night activity, and use each city's full report for violent vs. property crime instead of stopping at the headline index.

School scores

5% higher scores

Austin's school scores are 5% higher than Dallas

Dallas

A- · 84/100

Austin

Winner

A · 88/100

What this means for your life

Austin grades out at A (88/100) against A- (84/100) in Dallas — school scores run 5% higher in Austin. The citywide gap is modest. For families with kids it is still worth checking the specific campuses you would actually use, because a small composite lead can disappear — or reverse — two neighborhoods over. Dallas is only the better school story if a campus you already researched beats this composite.

Typical weather

4% more comfortable

Austin weather is 4% more comfortable than Dallas

Dallas

91°F typical

Austin

Winner

90°F typical

What this means for your life

Austin scores 4% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 91°F in Dallas and 90°F in Austin. Dallas reads as hot, long summers; Austin 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, Austin is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Fit check

Who should choose Dallas

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Dallas

Dallas is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 15% cheaper here at about $1,472 a month. Choose Dallas if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Open the Dallas report →

Fit check

Who should choose Austin

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 33% higher ($93,658), 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.

Parents — or anyone planning kids in the next few years — should weight Austin first. School scores run 5% higher (A vs A-). Dallas only wins the school argument if you already have a specific campus in mind that beats this composite.

Open the Austin report →

Bottom line

Dallas vs Austin, called

If the job market is your priority, Austin is the clear choice.

If cost of living matters more to you, Dallas pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Austin offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Dallas vs Austin FAQ

Is Dallas cheaper than Austin?: Yes. Typical rent in Dallas is $1,472 a month versus $1,729 in Austin — 15% cheaper. Median household income is $70,518 in Dallas compared with $93,658 in Austin, so Austin has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Dallas or Austin?: Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 109 in Dallas and 109 in Austin (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.
Which city has better schools, Dallas or Austin?: Austin has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Dallas — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

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